The Other Prince
by maggietheo
Summary: Prince Elliot's brother is having his selection, so his friend Princess Pippa of England comes to the palace to keep him company. While together, they wreck havoc, play matchmaker, and maybe even find some romance of their own. SYOC.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Prince Elliot raced down the hallway, with his heart pounding and tie flying. He glanced up at the clock, and in an effort to save time, jumped on the rail of the grand staircase and slid down, only to run into a maid at the bottom.

"Oops. Sorry, love," he said, righting the girl, and continuing on his way. He ran down the hall, passing three more doors, making a right, until he finally slid into the room he was suppose to be in, still panting from his journey.

"There you are!" His mother scolded, straightening his tie. "And of all the nights to be late for the report."

"Almost late, your majesty," Layla Fadaye corrected. "We have a minute and a half until we're on the air, which means places!"

Everyone rushed to where they were supposed to be, which for Elliot meant to the left his mother, Queen Lorianne of Illea, with his older brother, Prince Edward, to her right.

"And we're on in three...two...one!" The cameraman said, and pointed at Layla.

"Good evening, Illea! I'm here on the Capitol Report with the Royal Family, and they have a very special announcement. Queen Lorianne, would you like to do the honors?"

"Why yes, I would. Thank you, Layla," Queen Lorianne said, standing up tall, with her head held high. Wearing her dark green dress, and her golden crown, she looked every bit the queen she was. "As many of you know, my elder son Prince Edward has recently turned nineteen, which means it is time for his Selection. We our very happy to be welcoming 35 girls into the palace, one of which will not only become my son's wife, but the future queen of Illea."

"Thank you, your majesty. It is to my understanding that _you _went through the selection, which is how you met your husband, the late King Philip. Any advice for those wishing to apply?" Layla asked.

"Only this," Queen Lorianne answered, with a smile. "The selection is no small thing. Know that if you are selected, even if you do not make it past the first day, your life will change forever."

"Thank you your majesty," Layla replied, as the Queen sat down. "Now, any words from the Princes? How about you, your highness?" Layla asked, motioning at Prince Edward.

"Well, I'm happy to be meeting all these girls, and I hope to find one I can love for all my days," Edward said, smiling at the camera. The audience lets out 'awws,' and Elliot mentally gagged. _Keep it to yourself,_ he thought. _There are cameras rolling._

"What about you, Prince Elliot?" Layla asked, turning the microphone to him.

"Well Layla, I too am very happy that all these girls are coming to the palace," he said smirking. "I mean, who wouldn't want 35 beautiful girls to come stay at their home?"

"Don't get too attached, brother," Edward said as the audience laughed. "I mean, they are coming here for me."

Elliot waved his hand in agreement, and winked at the camera as Layla began to close up the show.

"Alright folks, thanks for tuning into the report, and remember, if you wish to be part of the selection, fill out your form, and get it in! We will be announcing the selected very soon. This Layla Fadaye, signing off."

"And...we're clear," the cameraman said, and everyone immediately relaxed. Elliot's mother turned to say something to him, probably to scold him again about being late for the report, but was interrupted by one of her advisors rushing in.

"Excuse me, your majesty," he said, bowing, "But you are needed in the conference room to approve this new tax."

"Of course," she sighed, and rose to go with him. "Goodnight, boys," she said kissing them both on the forehead. "Now go to bed."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"That was so cheesy of you to say," Prince Elliot said as he and Prince Edward walked up their rooms on the third floor, side by side. "Hope to find someone you can love you for all your days. Gag."

"Well, someone has to be the sweet and sensitive one," Prince Edward refuted, with a smirk.

"Still, though. 'Love for all my days.' Ugh," Elliot said, then went silent for a minute. "Did you really mean it?"

"Well, yeah," Edward said. "I mean, I have to marry someone, and the selection is supposed to be finding someone to be a good wife and queen. I'm lucky if I can find someone to love."

They walked together in silence for a moment, until Edward spoke up. "Did you really mean it too? About looking forward to the girls coming to the palace?"

"Kind of, I guess. I mean, I _am_ looking forward to 35 pretty girls coming to the palace, because even though they're coming for you, they're still nice to look at," Elliot said with a smirk. "At the same time, 35 beautiful girls are coming to the palace, and they're not for me. I don't know to do with myself."

"Your time will come, Elliot," Edward said. "Before you know it, two years will have passed and it will be your selection."

"Yeah, not ready for that," Elliot mumbled under his breath.

"In the mean time, how about you have a friend over or something? I'm sure mum wouldn't mind," his brother continued.

"We'll see," Elliot said dubiously, as they reached their rooms. "Goodnight, Eddie."

He opened his door, and his man servants and maids immediately flocked towards him to help him prepare for bed. "Not now, guys," he said, waving them off. "I need to be by myself tonight."

They all nodded, giving him sympathetic looks, then left the room, and shut the door behind them.

Alone at last, Elliot flopped onto his silky bed, and let out a groan. All this selection stuff had made him realize how soon he was going have his selection. He was only seventeen years old, he wasn't nearly ready to be thinking about a wife! His mom and his brother didn't understand, they were both far more responsible than he was. And with his dad gone, and Pippa living in England, there was no one here for him to talk to.

Elliot shot straight up, an idea forming in his head. 'How about you have a friend over?' Eddie had said. He knew just the friend to have over.

He leaned over and grabbed his phone, and dialed the number, after a few rings, someone picked up.

"Hello?...This is Prince Elliot of Illea, may I speak to Princess Pippa?"

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**Hey guys! I just wanted to say, this IS a SYOC! Just tell me these things: Name, age, caste, occupation, appearance (height, hair color, eye color, skin tone, pretty or plain, etc.), personality (be descriptive!), and hobbies. You can also tell me things like what their style is, how they treat others, etc. as any extra information is gladly appreciated!**

**This story IS mainly about Elliot and Pippa (who we meet next chapter), but these girls do play a prominent part in the story. I haven't picked anyone to be The One or The Elite, so the better written your character is, the more likely it is for them to make it to The Elite, or maybe even win the selection!**

**Have fun, and thanks for reading! Next chapter will be up soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Pippa stepped off the plane, with her purse in one hand, and waving to the crowds with her other. Many people would be intimidated by such a crowd, with cameras flashing everywhere, and people shouting questions, but Pippa wasn't just any person. She was Pippa Rose Nicholson, Crown Princess of England, and dealing with paparazzi was part of her job.

"Look here, your majesty!"

"How do you feel about the Selection, your majesty?"

"Are you excited for your stay, your highness?"

Pippa turned to answer questions, and sign autographs, until her security detail came up on either side of her.

"Excuse me, miss," said Greg, her bodyguard. "But we really must be going."

"Of course," Pippa replied, in a steady tone. "No need to keep the Queen waiting."

She blew one final kiss, making the crowd go wild, and stepped into the limousine. Greg shut the door behind her, and they drove off to the palace. Pippa breathed a sigh of relief, and settled down into her seat. This was the first moment of peace she had had all week.

Ever since Prince Elliot had called to invite her to stay at his palace, the Royal Court of England had been in a flurry of preparation. There were new dresses to be sewn (she didn't see why she couldn't just bring some she already owned), transportation to arrange, and of course, the issue of her security. Nevermind that there were already plenty of guards at the Illean palace, her father wanted her to bring half of the Royal England Army. Pippa wanted to bring only Greg, so after several days of arguing, she had negotiated it down to five of the guards her father trusted the most. All that chaos was worth it, though, because she was finally on her way.

Pippa was looking forward to this trip. She was looking forward to going to balls, and dancing, and taking a break from being a princess in training. But most of all, she was looking forward to seeing Elliot again.

They had known each other since they were in diapers, and Pippa would count Elliot as her best friend. It had been almost a year since they had last seen each other, which in Pippa's mind, was entirely too long to go without seeing someone.

The car pulled up into the palace, and as it stopped. Pippa could feel her heart pounding. She was here, at last.

The door opened, and Pippa stepped out. Elliot was up there, at the top of the steps waiting for her, and when she saw him, she had to catch her breath. The last year had been good to him. He had gotten more muscular, and his deep brown hair swept up in a way that made her heart sigh. His blue eyes had new light in them, and there was no denying it - her best friend was no longer a boy. Now he was very nearly a man.

"Pippa!" Elliot called out, running down the steps to greet her.

"Elliot!" she yelled, laughing as he swooped her up into a big hug. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too, Pippa," he said, setting her down. "Now c'mon, there's so much I need to tell you."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Wait, _how_ many girls are coming here for your brother?" Pippa asked, laughing.

"Thirty five. I know, it's hard to imagine my brother with so many girls," Elliot replied, with a smirk. "I mean, he's so studious and responsible."

"Oh, c'mon," Pippa said, nudging Elliot. "He's not that bad. Edward's sweet, and nice, and can be funny…"

Elliot gave her a pointed look.

"Oh course. Who am I kidding?" Pippa said sarcastically. "Your brother, the Crown Prince of Illea, has absolutely _no_ desirable traits and I can't imagine what any girl would see in him."

"That's more like it," Elliot said, smirking as they rounded a corner. "Now, since we have so many girls coming, all our guest rooms are in use, so you'll be staying on the third floor."

"Really?" Pippa said, and her face lit up. Not only would she be spending a couple months at the palace, but she would be staying on the third floor, right by her best friend.

"Yeah," Elliot said, smiling at the look on her face. "Now this…" he said, gesturing to the door on their right, "Is my room. So this…" he gestured to the door on their left, "is yours."

"After you," he said, opening the door. Pippa stepped inside, and her mouth formed a small 'o'. Even though she had lived in Buckingham Palace her whole life, she still never ceased to be amazed by the sheer beauty of this place. The walls were a beautiful cream color, with carpet at least an inch and a half thick. All the wood was a dark brown, and the bedspread and curtains were a lovely shade of light blue. To top it off, a small chandelier hung from the ceiling.

Three girls rushed over to Pippa, and Elliot introduced them. "Pippa, these are your maids, Adeline, Mara, and Grace. They're the best of the best, so they should be able to help you with anything you need. The report starts in an hour and a half, so ladies, I leave the princess in your hands." He winked at them, and then left.

"Well, as the Prince said, I'm Adeline, your head maid, and these two girls are Mara and Grace. We're here to do anything you need miss," Adeline said in a no nonsense manner. "Now let's get down business. We only have an hour and a half to get you ready for the report, so Mara will do your hair while I do your makeup, and Grace does your nails. Now sit right here, and we'll get to work."

Pippa felt herself being practically shoved onto the plush stool, while her maids busied themselves.

"How would you like your hair, miss?" Mara asked.

"Up, please," Pippa replied. She wanted to look as much like a princess as possible tonight.

Adeline, Mara and Grace chattered away while they got Pippa ready, and she started to get a sense of her maid's personality's. Adeline was the motherly, no nonsense one, Mara was blunt and sarcastic, and Grace, though a little shy, was an absolute sweetheart. Throughout all the chatter, Pippa zoned out, until something caught her attention.

"Wait, what was that, Adeline? About Prince Elliot?" Pippa asked.

"Oh, I was only sayin' how he made sure everything was perfect for your visit. Even though everyone was in a flurry, tryin' to get ready for his brother's selection, Prince Elliot insisted on making sure your room was nice, and the cook knew what your meal's were, and that the floral arrangements in your room smelled nice," Adeline said, with a small smile.

"The Prince really seems to care for you, Miss Pippa," Gracie piped up.

"Well, he _is_ my best friend," Pippa replied.

"_Just_ your best friend," Mara snorted sarcastically, under her breath.

"Alright, miss," Adeline said hurriedly, steering the conversation away from that topic. "It's time to put on your dress. Now shut your eyes, while we put you in your dress."

Pippa closed her eyes, and felt fabric rustle around her, as her maids took her clothes off, and put her evening gown on.

"You can open your eyes now, your highness," Adeline said, and Pippa did just that. She look in the mirror, and let out a small gasp.

The gown was a very soft yellow-golden color, with yards of a very sheer, tuling type material flowing out from the waist. The straps were made entirely out of sheer material, and the top had golden flowers stitched all over it, trickling down throughout the dress. To finish off the look, her maid's had put her in a pair of tan peep-toe heels.

"Wow," Pippa said softly, "This dress...it's beautiful. Did you guys make this?"

"Yes we did, miss, and I'm you like it," Adeline replied. "Now, let's put some jewelry on you before you have to go to the report."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Elliot rocked back and forth on his feet, waiting for Pippa. The report was starting soon, should he knock? He didn't want to be late again, but he also didn't want to rush his friend. He glanced at the clock on the wall, and decided it was time to knock.

Pippa opened the door, and Elliot let out a small 'wow.' Her hair was up, with only a wispy strands framing her face, and in her gold dress, she looked stunning.

"Pippa...wow," Elliot cleared his throat. "You look lovely."

"Thanks," Pippa said, with a small smile. "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Just friends," Mara muttered under her breath, from where she was standing in the doorway. Both Pippa and Elliot turned to look at her, and Adeline pulled Mara inside and shut the door.

"So," Elliot cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence. "Let's go down to the report." He offered Pippa his arm which she gladly took, and they began on their way.

"So, what I'm I going to have to say on this news report?" Pippa asked.

"Oh, not much," Elliot replied. "Layla might ask you how you feel about staying here, or how you feel about the Selection, but the biggest part of tonight is going to be the announcing of the Selected."

"That's right, 35 girls are coming here next week," Pippa laughed.

Elliot made a face. He didn't need thirty-five girls invading his home, coming to flirt with and try to seduce his brother. The only girl he wanted to talk to was already at the palace.

They reached the staircase, and Elliot looked at Pippa and grinned. "Follow me," he said, and hopped on the rail. "We're taking the fast way down."

Down he slid, until he reached the bottom, where he got off neatly. Moments later, Pippa came flying down the rail, and knocked him over at the bottom. A few maids walked by glancing at the laughing heap on the floor that was Elliot and Pippa.

"Nothing to see here, ladies," Elliot said, as he helped Pippa up and dusted her off. "Now c'mon, Pippa, if we aren't at the report soon, my mum will have our heads."

They hurried along the hallway together, until at last, they reached the room the report took place in. As soon as they got there, the crew mobbed them, putting them where they needed to be and adding finishing touches to make-up. Elliot settled down next to Pippa, and the cameraman began the count-off.

"We're live in five… four… three… two…"

"Good evening, Illea!" Layla began, beaming at the camera. "I'm Layla Fadaye, and this is The Capitol Report! This is the night, you've all been waiting for, but first, I'd like you all to meet a very special guest! Illea, please give a warm welcome to Her Royal Highness, Princess Pippa Rose Nicholson of England!"

The studio audience applauded and cheered, while Pippa smiled and waved.

"Princess Pippa will be staying at the palace for the duration of The Selection," Layla continued. "To my understanding, not only will she be here to keep Prince Elliot company, but she will also be instrumental in teaching the girls what it truly means to be a Princess. Anything you'd like to say, your highness?"

Pippa smiled, and spoke into the microphone. "Only that I'm very grateful to the Royal Family for letting me stay here, and that I look forward to meeting the girls of The Selection."

Elliot smiled at Pippa. Her answer was perfect.

"Thank you, your highness," Layla said. "Now it's time for the announcement you've all been waiting for! The ladies of Prince Edward's selection are…"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Next chapter, we meet the selected! There is still room to SYOC, if you haven't already. Just tell me name, age, caste, occupation, appearance (height, hair color, eye color, skin tone, pretty or plain, etc.), personality (be descriptive!), and hobbies, and any other information you want to! Remember, I haven't picked anyone to be in The Elite or The One yet, so your character has just has just as good a chance as any! **

**I have a question for you guys - this story WILL be mainly about Elliot and Pippa, but would you like to see parts through Edward's or some of The Selected's POV? Also, how much of the story do you think should be about them?**

**Drop me a review and let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

That whole night was a blur for Edward. Names and faces raced through his mind, as Layla read off the list of The Selected. Only a few stuck in his mind - a beautiful actress, a mysterious eight, and a girl with the palest green eyes he had ever seen. Before he knew it, the Report was over, and he was being hurried off to his room.

_No, wait,_ he wanted to call out. _I want to know more about these girls. I'm going to have to marry one!_

Pippa and Elliot walked to their rooms beside him, laughing about the contestants.

"Did you see that one model?" Pippa giggled. "Her face was tanner than the rest of her body, because of all the make-up she was wearing!"

"Or how about that one eight?" Elliot laughed.

"I didn't know eight's were allowed in The Selection!" Pippa laughed.

"Just imagine," Elliot roared, "If Edward fell in love with her! We'd have a former convict as the Queen!"

At this point Pippa and Elliot were both in stitches, and had fallen to the floor laughing.

"Ha ha, very funny guys," Edward grumbled at them. _They_ weren't the ones who had to deal with this. "I'm going to bed now."

Edward went into his room, and shut the door behind himself. As he flopped down on his bed, he let out a groan. How was he going find a girl to marry, if he didn't even know their names?

Just then, there was a knock on his door. Edward opened it, to find Pippa and Elliot standing outside, holding a stack of papers.

"We're very sorry for laughing at you-" Pippa began.

"_We're _sorry?" Elliot mumbled. Pippa elbowed him, and continued.

"Anyways, _I'm_ sorry for laughing at you, and I have some papers you might want to see." Pippa pushed passed Edward, and sat down on his bed. The two princes followed her, and when Edward saw what she was spreading out on his bed, he gasped.

"Are those-?"

"The forms for The Selected?" Pippa said with a smirk. "Yes, yes they are."

"B-But those are supposed to be confidential!" Edward sputtered. "How did you ever get your hands on them?"

"Let's just say being the Crown Princess of England had it's perks," Pippa said, smiling mischieviously. "I told your mother that since I was going to be training some of these girls to be a princess, it would be helpful to know what I'm working with ahead of time."

"Anyways, let's figure out who you're going to marry!" Elliot said, picking up a sheet of paper. "Ooh, how about this one? Brynn Anderson, professional softball player, and a 2. Mmm, she's hot."

Pippa glared at Elliot, and snatched the paper out of his hand. "Your brother is not picking a wife based on how _hot_ she is, Elliot."

Edward picked up two forms, and looked at. "Huh, look at that. Manyata Sharma, and Margaux Bautista, a Seven and and Eight."

"I say get rid of them immediately," Elliot said, as he looked over the other sheets.

"No, don't do that!" Pippa said in a hurry. "If you eliminate everyone of a lower caste on the first day, it will look like you're judging them based solely on caste. Keep them around for at least a week, because we want to make sure everyone thinks Edward will be a fair and just king, _Elliot._" She looked at Elliot with a pointed glare, who had begun sorting out the forms by who he thought was prettiest.

"Now Edward." Pippa said, turning to face him. "We need to discuss your first day strategy."

"First day _strategy_?" Edward asked. He hadn't thought there would be strategy involved in picking a wife.

"That's right, _strategy,_" Pippa said. "I'm thinking you should start by eliminating ten girls on the first day, however, there are certain people you _must not_ eliminate right away…"

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On the day that the girls arrived, Pippa found herself uncomfortably perched inside a secret passageway in the the high part of the wall of the Great Hall. She and Elliot had crept in there, and were now watching all the Selected girls trickle in. The looks on their faces as they entered the palace would have been amusing, except for the fact that Elliot's elbow was currently in her side, as he moved around to get a better look.

"Ow, get off me, Elliot," she muttered, and took a sharp breath, as his elbow dug into her side. This passageway was clearly not meant for two people.

"Oops, sorry Pippa," Elliot said, as he clambered over her. "Ha, look at all the girls. They look like a flock of birds!"

Pippa nudged him out of the way, and looked down at the girls. Only 25 or so of the girls had made it into the hall, but with all of them wearing short, brightly colored dresses, they did indeed look like a flock of brightly colored birds from up high.

Suddenly, Pippa had an idea. As she crawled over Elliot, she called out to him. "I'll be right back, I want to go get a firsthand look at these girls."

She raced out of the passageway, and around the castle, until she got to the garden right outside the Great Hall. She waited until the coast was clear, and then walked inside the door all the girls had entered through.

As Pippa wove in and out of the crowd, trying to get a better look at the girls, she recognized a few of them from the papers. She saw Anise Gruence, a three with her hair braided around her head. Standing next to her was Brynn Anderson, the tall blond two who Elliot had thought was hot.

Pippa made a face as she stood there, and felt someone back into her.

"Watch it!" the girl shrieked at her. "You're going to mess up my my dress!"

"Excuse me?" Pippa replied, her eyebrow raised. "But I believe _you_ bumped into _me_."

"Do you even know who I am?" the girl yelled, her eyes flaming.

"Do you know who _I_ am?" Pippa replied coldly.

At this point, they had gathered a crowd. The girls stood around them, whispering to one another. One girl was anxiously pulling on the girl's arm, trying to tell her something important.

"My name is Lisette Gielen," she boasted. "I'm an actress, and a two. Nevermind who you are, you're probably that eight who cheated her way into the competition."

Pippa felt her back stiffen at Lisette's comment. "_My_ name is Pippa Rose Nicholson." Pippa smirked as she watched the blood drain from the girl's face. "I am the Crown Princess of England, which I suppose would make me a One by your caste system. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go talk to the princes."

Pippa walked out of the Great Hall, with her head held high. Once she was out of sight, though, she raced around the corner, until she found Elliot, who was waiting for her.

"What happened down there?" he said, as Pippa caught her breath. "I could see that something was going on, but I couldn't hear anything."

"That girl," Pippa huffed angrily, "Bumped into me and accused me of being an eight."

"She didn't!" Elliot gasped, his eyes narrowing angrily. "What was her name? Tell Edward, and he'll eliminate her right away."

"Lisette Gielen," Pippa said distastefully. "And we can't eliminate her right away. She has too much influence."

"Well, you have to at least warn my brother," Elliot said.

Pippa shook her head. "I don't want to influence him. This is his Selection, he needs to go into it with an open mind."

"Alright," Elliot sighed. "Now, let's go to lunch."

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**I'm so sorry that this came so late my loves! I've actually had this chapter written for a little while, but I completely forgot to publish it. Special thanks to Fairy Lori for reminding me!**

**We got the first taste of the girls this chapter! I know I promised that we would meet the Selected, but I wanted to give everyone a chance to submit first. Just a reminder, tell me caste, job, appearance, etc. You can either tell me in a PM or a review, and if you want to submit more than one character, go ahead! Next chapter we will meet all the girls for sure, so if I don't have all the spots filled, I'll just make up more characters. **

**Thanks to everyone who has submitted a character, favorited, followed, and/or sent me a review! You guys make my day!**

**As always, did you like the chapter? Anything you think I should be doing differently? Drop me a review and let me know!**

**-Maggie**


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

Edward had never been more terrified in his life. Sure, he had trained as a soldier, supported his family when his father passed, and was looking at inheriting the throne of Illea in two years, but here he was, standing outside the Women's and he felt like he was going to throw up.

_Relax_, he thought to himself, _You are the Crown Prince of Illea. None of these girl's has any power over you._

Although he told himself that, he knew it wasn't completely true. Standing inside that room was 35 girls, one of whom he would end up marrying. They held his entire future in their hands.

Edward took a deep breath, then opened the doors, and strode in. Instantly, all the girls quieted.

"Well ladies, do you remember what to do when a member of the royal family walks in the room?" chided Marisole, the girl's instructor. After a moments hesitation, all the girls sank into curtsies.

Edward cleared his throat, and then smiled at the girls. "Hello, ladies, it's very nice to have you all at the palace. I'm sure you're all ready to eat breakfast, however, before we all make our way into the Dining Hall, I need to meet all of you. I'm going to be taking a couple minutes to talk to each of you over at the table. First up, Brynn Anderson."

Edward made his way over to the table, and sat down in one of the chairs. Moments later, he was joined by Brynn. With her long blond hair, and fit body, he had to agree with his brother's comment - she _was_ hot.

"Hello, Brynn," he said, extending his hand.

She took his hand, and shook it. "Hello, your majesty," Brynn replied with a bright smile. "It's very nice to meet you."

Edward smiled. Maybe these interviews wouldn't be as awful as he had originally thought.

"So, Brynn, what do you? Like, what kind of job do you have?" Edward asked.

"Oh, I'm a softball player. I play for the Midston Monkeys," Brynn replied.

"Oh, that's right," Edward said. "I think I've seen you on TV before."

"Oh, so the Crown Prince follows professional softball?" Brynn said with a smirk.

"No, but his brother does," Edward replied. "Elliot usually has it turned on in our common room."

Edward looked down at his clock. "Well, it was nice talking to you Brynn," he said, "But I'm afraid our time is up. It was nice meeting you."

He looked down at his list, and put a star by Brynn's name. She was going to stay. He glanced at Pippa's list, and was happy to find her name on the list of people who had to stay. At least he knew he would like one of them

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Several people later, Edward was having a problem. Instead of having trouble finding girls he liked, as he had originally feared, instead, he was having trouble finding girls he disliked. He had interviewed Emmeline Thisby O'Malley, a witty girl with big ideas; Theresa Hillman, a happy-go-lucky girl with captivating eyes; Juliet Calla Skyes, a girl who, although only sixteen, was incredibly sweet, and many others. And as his list of people to interview got shorter, Edward started to worry more.

"Next up, Lilla Linton," Edward called out. A girl with curled brown hair came and sat across from him.

"Hello Lilla, it's nice to meet you," Edward said, greeting her.

"Please, call me Lily-flower," she said. "It's what all my friends call me."

"So, tell me about yourself," Edward said, ignoring her last comment.

"Well, my name is Lily-Flower Linton," she said. "Everyone calls me that because they say that I'm as beautiful as the lilies that grow right outside my house…"

Edward listened to her drone on for the rest of their allotted time, then breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. There was one person he knew he could get rid of.

"Could I see Ailsa Bloomsburg?" Edward said, after pausing over the name. There was something familiar about it, although he couldn't quite place his tongue on what it was.

A pretty girl with chestnut hair and a soft face wandered over to where he was sitting. "Hello, your highness," Ailsa said, holding out her hand for him. He brought it to his lips, and she looked quite pleased.

"Hello, Ailsa. It's nice to meet you," Edward said. "I seem to recognize your name, though I'm not quite sure from where?"

"Oh, my father is a politician," Ailsa answered. "He has come to the palace on many occasions, and used to bring me when I was younger."

"Ah, so you've been here before," Edward said.

"Yes, although not quite like this," Ailsa replied with a small smile.

The rest of their talk went smoothly. Edward put a star next to her name with a smile, because even if she was a little bit pliable and eager to please, she was a sweet girl. Then, with a sigh, he looked at the list and called out the next name.

"Lisette Gielen?"

A sultry looking blonde sauntered over to where he was sitting, and sat down in front of him.

"Hello Prince Edward," Lisette giggled, and it was all Edward could do to keep his mouth from dropping open. Lisette was wearing a very, _very_ tight, low-cut, red dress, and was leaning forward towards him.

_Get your head in the game, Edward,_ he thought to himself.

"So, Lisette, what do you do for a living?" Edward asked.

"I'm an actress," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

_Of course you are,_ Edward thought to himself. "What movies have you been in?" he asked.

"Oh, plenty," Lisette giggled. "What about _you_ though? What's your life like?"

"I...um," Edward stuttered, momentarily distracted by the hair she was twirling around her fingers. "Actually, our time is up. It was to meet you Lisette."

Edward looked down at his list, and put a star next to her name. She could stay, if only for the fact that she was the only girl to ask him about himself. Also, she was on Pippa's list.

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After interviewing several more girls, and much debate, Edward had finally decided which ten to get rid of on the first day. He stood up, and cleared his throat, and instantly the room quieted.

"Excuse me ladies. Thank you for your time here. Now, if I call your name, please proceed into the dining room where I will join you shortly. The girls are; Brynn, Emmeline, Theresa, Manyata, Anise, Olivia, Margaux, Lisette, Stella, Odette, Aila, Tessa, Juliet, Lydia, Saffron, Alexis, Loraine, Heather, Britta, Mavis, Teegan, Quinn, Jamie, Kiara, and Isla. The rest of you, please remain seated.

The girls whose names he had called out left the room, and Edward turned to face the remaining ten.

"I'm sorry to do this ladies," Edward said gently, "But I'm afraid the ten of you are being sent home. It was a pleasure having you at the palace, but the competition must progress."

At this, Lilla Linton burst into tears.

"You will be having breakfast in your rooms, then cars will be sent to take you home. Thank you."

Edward exited the room quickly, glad to be rid of the crying girls. Now that this was over, he could enjoy his breakfast in peace.

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Juliet Calla Skyes happily dug into the stack of waffles in front of her, and sighed in content. There were strawberries and whipped cream on top - her absolute favorite. They were better than the one's she had at home, which she didn't think was possible.

From the moment she stepped through the palace doors, Juliet had been in a state of awe. The stained glass windows were some of the most beautiful things she had ever seen, and each room she went in never ceased to amaze her. When she was having her makeover, everyone treated her like a princess, and showed her rows upon rows of delicate dresses.

The palace didn't just amaze her - the people did, too. As she ate her breakfast, she watched the Royal Family do the same. Prince Edward had just joined them, and was digging into his food with a serious look on his face. Juliet thought he was handsome, and seemed nice, although she did find him a little intimidating, especially since he was nineteen and she had only very recently turned sixteen.

The rest of the Royal Family seemed very interesting to Juliet, too. Queen Lorianne was very regal, and sat there calmly, seemingly oblivious to the chaos beside her. Princess Pippa had flung a strawberry into Prince Elliot's lap, so he was now dropping blueberries into her hair, as she laughed and tried to bat him away. They seemed nice enough, and funny, however, from what Juliet had seen, they could be a dangerous duo when together.

"Ever wonder what it's like being up there?"

Juliet turned to the girl next to her, a little startled. "What was that?"

"I said, ever wonder what it's like being up there? I mean, you seemed to be watching the royal family eating up there," the girl said.

"Oh. No, I was just thinking," Juliet said.

"Well, I'm Lydia. Lydia Alexandria Roads. I'm a Four, though I suppose that doesn't really matter here."

"I'm Juliet," Juliet replied. "Juliet Calla Skyes. I'm a three."

"My name's Olivia Roseanne Edwards," said the girl who was sitting across from Juliet, in a very shy voice. "I'm a five."

"Well, Olivia, Juliet, I'm very pleased to meet you," Lydia said. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, Marisole is calling us over, and if we don't go join everyone, she might have a break down. Shall we join her, ladies?"

Juliet smiled, and followed her. Her stay at the palace looked like it was going to be a good one.

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**Hello Loves! I am so sorry that this came so late. Long story short, I was in a musical, and Hell Week happened, and then I had shows for two weekends and more rehearsal. (For those of you who don't know what Hell Week is, the name basically says it all. We stay after school rehearsing for 6-8 hours straight.) However, now that that is all over, and I'm completely caught up with school, I can try to start updating more regularly. I have spring break this week, so I'm hoping to be able to do more writing. **

**But enough of that. How did you guys like meeting The Selected? What did you think of the one's who have been featured? For those of you who submitted a character who hasn't been featured yet, don't worry! I have plans to feature pretty much every Selected girl!**

**For those of you who are interested in seeing a list of everyone who was Selected, I'm going to be putting the full list on my profile. As the story progresses, I'll be moving characters from the 'currently in The Selection' list to the 'Eliminated' list, just to help you all keep things straight. I'm fairly certain that everyone who was eliminated in this chapter was a name my sister or I made up, however, if I somehow ended up eliminating your character, I'm very sorry, but thank you for submitting! **

**Liked it? Loved it? Anything you'd like to see in the upcoming chapters? As always, drop me a review and let me know!**

**-Maggie**


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Edward watched the girls leave the room with Marisole, and smiled. The girls were all lovely, and he was happy they were here, although after meeting all 35 of them, he was more than ready to have a moment away from them.

Edward's happy, peaceful moment was disrupted by Pippa, who, as soon as the door had closed behind the girl's, grabbed his wrist and started pulling him away from his strawberry tart.

"Wait!" he called out, trying to swat her hand away. Pippa's grip on him only tightened. "I'm not done with my tart!"

"That's too bad," she replied. "We only have a few hours while Marisole gives them a lesson."

"A few hours for what?" Edward said, grabbing a chair as Pippa kept pulling on him.

"You'll see when we get there," she said. "Now c'mon, let's go."

Edward finally surrendered to her will, and followed her out the door.

"Have fun! I'll just be here… all alone… eating this delicious strawberry tart… enjoying the peace," Elliot called out, with a smirk on his face.

"No, you won't," Pippa said, turning to face him. "Because you're coming with us."

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After walking through several hallways, up a couple flights of stairs, and listening to Elliot complain, Edward finally found himself at the 'there' Pippa was talking about. As it turned out, 'there' was the library.

"You brought us to the library?" Elliot said, a little incredulously. "What for?"

"We need to discuss Edward's first date," Pippa said, as though it should be obvious.

"My first date?" Edward asked, "Can't we do that tomorrow?"

"No, your first date needs to happen today. After lunch, to be precise," Pippa said.

"Why does it need to be today?" Edward asked. "Why can't it be tomorrow?"

"Because, in order to get you ready for the next big elimination, you first have to take each of the 25 girls on a date. We are going to be using a process I like to call 'speed dating,'" Pippa said, making quotation marks with her fingers.

"Speed dating? Isn't that the thing that people do in bars?" Elliot asked.

"It's a similar concept," Pippa replied. "Basically, over the next two weeks, Edward will take each girl on a date at least once. He will have at least one date each day, sometimes two. This way, he can get to know the girls, and each one will have an equal opportunity."

Edward nodded. Pippa's process seemed to be a good one.

"So Edward," Pippa said, turning her attention to him. "Who do you want your first date to be?"

"Wait, so I actually get to choose this time? You haven't got it all planned out for me?" Edward asked.

"I have some date _ideas_ planned, but you need to choose your date, especially for the first one," Pippa replied.

"Wait, why's that?" Elliot asked. "What's so special about this one?"

Edward and Elliot both looked at her, and Pippa sighed. "Boys," she muttered under her breath. "The first date is important, because although Edward may not end up marrying that girl, she has an advantage over the others during the first part of the competition. So Edward, do you know who you want to take out?"

"Actually," he said with a smile, "I think I've got an idea."

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Anise's maid's scrambled around, trying to get her ready. Early today, while sitting in the Women's room, she had received a note from Prince Edward, asking her on a date at four o'clock today. According to the note, they would be taking a walk on the grounds. It was already 3:45, and her maids were still trying to add the finishing touches to her outfit.

They had braided her hair in a crown around her head, as she requested. The make-up they had put on her was soft and natural looking, and she loved the dress they had given her. It was heather gray, with a pleated skirt, and lacy three-quarters sleeves. There was black detailing around the neckline and the waist, and the neutral colors helped her eyes to stand out though.

The only problem was that she did not yet have shoes. One of her maids was arguing that she shouldn't be seen without heels on, while another thought Anise should be wearing more sensible shoes for walking.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and all the bickering ceased at once. Her maids went to go open the door, while Anise quietly slipped on a compromise between the two shoes - little black booties with a slight heel.

"Is Lady Anise there?" she heard Prince Edward say from behind the door.

"I'm right here," she called out, and walked over to the door. Prince Edward offered Anise his arm, which she gladly took. They strolled down the hall, and outside, until Anise broke the silence.

"Where will we be going, your highness?" she asked.

"We will be going out on the grounds, just to take a walk. I didn't want to do anything to big, as I'd like to take the time to get to know you," Edward answered. "Also, I would very much prefer if you dropped the 'your highness' bit. I'd like to be able to just talk."

"Very well, your...Prince Edward," Anise said, and Edward smiled.

"So, Lady Anise," Edward began, "Tell me about yourself."

"Well, what would you like to know?" Anise asked.

"How about, what's your job? And what do you like to do in free time?" Edward questioned.

"Well, I'm a librarian," Anise said.

"A librarian!" Edward said, excitedly. "Can I take that to mean that you like books?"

"I love books," Anise said, smiling. "I spend most of my free time reading."

"Do you have a favorite book?" Edward asked.

"My favorite book is going to have to be _To Kill a Mockingbird,_" Anise answered. "It's an old book, it was considered a classic even during the pre-Illean days, but I love it."

"My favorite book is _A Tale of Two Cities_. Another pre-Illean classic," Edward said, as water droplets began falling from the sky. "Oh dear," he said. "It's beginning to rain. I'm terribly sorry for taking you outside, where your dress could get wet. I should have checked the sky."

"No, it's all right," Anise said, letting go of his arm. "I love the rain." She spread her arms out, and laughing, spun in the rain. Prince Edward looked at with a smile.

There was a flash of light in the distance, and then a loud boom. "That, however, is lightning, which I'm not as fond of," Anise said.

"Come on, we better run," Edward said taking her hand and running back to the castle. By the time they made it back, they were both tired and soaking wet, but they were both laughing as well.

"It would seem that we have reached the castle. Thank you for accompanying me, dear, even though it did rain" Edward said, and kissed her hand.

"Thank you for taking me, Prince Edward. And I think the rain made it better," Anise said with a smile.

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Pippa slipped quietly through the door to the Women's Room, and shut it behind her as gently as possible. She and Elliot had mission - to meet the girl's and get an inside look on how they acted when the Prince wasn't around. Normally, they would have just gone in one of secret passages, however, all the girl's were in the Women's Room, so today, she was on her own.

Pippa sat down gently on one of the small sofas, and listened in to one of the conversations going on nearby. Lisette Gielen, the girl who had bumped into her, was complaining to a couple of her friends.

"And I just can't believe that I didn't get the first date! I mean, I _am_ the obvious choice, am I not?" Lisette whined.

"Of course you are!" said the girl with straight brown hair, tan skin, and bangs who was sitting next to her. The other one sitting next to Lisette, the one with dark, wavy brown hair, just nodded while picking at her nails.

"Thank you, Stella," Lisette said to the girl who had spoken. "But I mean, I had specially picked this dress out for a date."

"I'm sure there will be other dresses. I mean, you _do_ have maids to make you brand-new dresses," said the girl with the wavy brown hair. She seemed to be a little fed up with the conversation, however, that seemed to go unnoticed by Lisette.

"I suppose that's right, Tessa," Lisette said, wiping a 'tear' away. "But I was _so_ sure I was going to get the date!"

"What drama queens," a girl said, plopping herself down next to Pippa. She had wavy, light brown hair, deep blue eyes, and a big personality. "I'm so sick of them, and it's only the first real day. I'm Odette Pevion, by the way. Three."

"I'm -" Pippa began, until she was interrupted.

"I know who you are, your highness. Everybody does," Odette said. "I've been dying to meet you."

"Call me Pippa, please," Pippa said with a smile. "And why have you been dying to meet me?"

"I want to know more about you," Odette said simply. "I'm well aware that royal's put on a different face for the camera then they do in real life. So I'd like to know, who is the real Pippa? What is the Crown Princess of England really like?"

"Is your job questioning people?" Pippa said, with a laugh. "You seem to be good at that."

"I'm a lawyer. Well, lawyer-in-training, to be precise," Odette stated. "But enough about me? What about you?"

"Well, what would you like to know?" Pippa asked.

"You and Prince Elliot," Odette said eagerly. "Are you guys a thing?"

"You think Elliot and I are a thing?" Pippa laughed. "No, we never have been. He's always just been my best friend, and I like it that way."

"Hmm," Odette said, and then looked around. "It would seem they've noticed you're in here," she whispered gesturing to the other girls.

Pippa laughed, and waved at all the girls. Almost all at once, they got up and crowded around her, eager to meet the Princess who they had heard so much about.

"Hello, everyone," Pippa said, smiling at the girls. "I'm very happy to finally be meeting you all." There were several murmurs of 'hello, your highness' from around the room.

"I'm sure you all have a lot of questions, so I'm here to clear up any confusion about palace life. Anyone want to go first?"

A girl in the back of the room raised her hand, and Pippa pointed at her. "What's your question, Lady-"

"Jamie, your highness," the girl said. "What are the Prince's like?"

The girls all giggled, and Pippa smiled. "Prince Edward is very caring. He's very kind, but also very responsible, and is doing his best to ensure that all of you have the best Selection possible."

"What about Prince Elliot?" another girl asked, and more giggles erupted around the room.

Pippa rolled her eyes at the girls' reaction. "Prince Elliot is also very caring. He's not as responsible, but he is funny, and fiercely protective of those he cares about."

All the girls sighed, and Pippa felt Odette harrumph beside her. "Just best friends my hat."

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**Hello lovelies!**

**What did you all think of this chapter? Did you like the date? How do you feel about the Selected girls so far? As always, please drop me a review to let me know!**

**There wasn't much Elliot in this chapter, but I can promise he and Pippa will be heavily featured in the next chapter, along with some other Selected girls. **

**I've decided to start answering reviews in my author's notes, so those will be under the line. I'd also like to start doing a question of the day, so today's QOTD is:**

**We know Edward's and Anise's favorite book, so what's yours?**

**PLEASE review and let me know! Even just the smallest interaction with my readers brightens my day, and only increases my want to write!**

**-Maggie**

**RESPONSES TO REVIEWS**

**Golden Heart (guest) - Aw, thank you so much!**

**Fairy Lori - Thank you! And, yes, you can totally call him Eddie :)**

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper - Thank you very much! I loved the mini food fight, too. I laugh everytime I think about it. What show are you doing? Break a leg, and when it comes up, have a good Tech/Hell week!**

**4Love4Love - I promise, it **_**is**_ **in my plan to feature more characters! I hope to feature almost all of them at least once within the next couple chapters. Thank you for reviewing! It means a lot!**

**Canadorbust - Thank you very much!**

**SkaterGirl (guest) - Aw, thank you! And no problem - I actually kind of love Lydia!**


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Edward pinned Elliot to the floor, in attempt to get his tie back, as Pippa lazily flipped through a magazine. They had all come up to their common room on the third floor, hoping to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Selection, and have some peace and quiet, but right now, there was anything put peace.

"So, Edward, how were your dates yesterday?" Pippa asked, and Edward and Elliot both paused for a moment.

"They were fine, I guess. Mavis enjoyed the archery, so that was nice. Brynn and I had a lot of fun horseback riding - so thank you for setting that date up," Edward said, then grabbed Elliot, who had been trying to sneak away.

"My pleasure," Pippa said. "Speaking of dates, don't you have one soon?"

"Yes, but this buffoon -" Edward said, lunging for Elliot, "Won't give me back my tie."

Pippa set down her magazine, and raised one eyebrow at Elliot. He sheepishly handed Edward the tie back, and she resumed reading her magazine.

"Hey look!" Pippa said excitedly. "This article's about me!"

"Wait, let me see," Elliot said, and he and Edward both moved towards her to see. The title read '_English Princess Capturing the Heart's of Illea.'_

"Move over Selected Girls: Princess Pippa Rose Nicholson is Illea's new sweetheart," Pippa read from the magazine. "Illea's Sweetheart. I like that. It should be added on the my title - Her Royal Highness Princess Pippa Rose Nicholson, Princess Royal and Heir Apparent, Princess of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, and Sweetheart of Illea."

"Well, if you'll excuse me, _your royal highness,_" Edward said, with a greatly exaggerated bow. "I have a date."

He bounded down the stairs, through the hallways, and for the second time that week, found himself hesitating in front of the Women's Room. He took a deep breath, and then knocked.

Marisole opened the door. "Is there something you require, your highness?" she asked, with a curtsy.

"Uh, yes, actually," he said. "I'm here to see a Lady Theresa Hillman."

"I'll go fetch her, sir" Marisole said, shutting the door. Moments later, Theresa appeared. She had dark brown hair, with bangs, and was wearing a green dress that only made her pale green eyes stand out even more.

"Hello, your highness," she said, nervously smoothing her hands over her dress.

"Hello, Lady Theresa," Edward said, offering her his arm. "I'm very excited to meet you."

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"Wait, you _tamed_ the horse?" Edward said, laughing, as he hit the croquet ball through the hoop.

"Of course," Theresa said. "He was wandering through my strawberry fields, I mean, what else was I supposed to do?"

"You, Lady Theresa, certainly are something else," Edward shaking his head. Theresa smiled. She had known the Prince for barely a half hour, but she liked him already.

"What do you think of the palace?" Prince Edward said, as Theresa took her turn.

"Oh, it's been more than I could ever dream of," she said. "The food here is delicious, and everyone here is so nice. I have closets full of dresses, which is something I never could have imagined having back on the farm."

"I'm so glad you're enjoying yourself," Edward said.

"Thank you, Prince Edward," Theresa said. "You _are_ the one that made this all possible."

"Edward," He said with a smile. "Please call me Edward."

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After Edward left, Elliot flopped onto the armchair next to Pippa, and let out a long, over-dramatic sigh. He peeked up at Pippa, who was still engrossed in her magazine, and after seeing that he hadn't elicited a response from her, sighed loudly again.

"Is there something you need, Elliot?" Pippa, asked, still flipping through her magazine.

"I'm bored, Pippa," Elliot said. "Edward left, and now I have nothing to do."

"I'm sure you can think of something," Pippa said scanning another article.

Elliot sat in silence for a few minutes, then flopped over to face Pippa. "What do you want to do with your life, Pippa?"

"I don't know," Pippa said with a sigh, putting down her magazine and turning to face Elliot. "Become Queen of England, I suppose."

"What else, besides Queen of England?" Elliot asked. "There has to be more."

"There never has been," Pippa said, shaking her head. "My whole life, all my training has been leading up to taking over the country when my parent's retire. I don't have a choice, so I've never let myself think about any other options."

They sat in silence for a moment, until Pippa asked, "What about you, Elliot? What do you want to do with your life?"

"No idea," Elliot said. "There's not much for the second prince to do, except sit and look pretty."

They found themselves sitting in silence again, contemplating the state of their futures, until Elliot spoke up. "What about right now? If you could do anything right now, what would you do?"

"Something fun and spontaneous, I suppose," Pippa said. "Something that a future queen wouldn't do. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Elliot said, a plan brewing in his mind.

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"Red alert, red alert!" Pippa said breathlessly, as she burst into the common room later that afternoon.

"What's wrong?" Elliot said with a concerned expression, as he and Edward got up from their chess game.

"Edward, I know you were hoping to take Jamie on a date this evening," Pippa said, still catching her breath, "But I'm afraid you're going to have to do that tomorrow morning."

"Why?" Edward said, sitting down next her.

"I was just in the Women's Room," Pippa said. "And Manyata almost started crying. It would seem that she thinks you haven't taken her on a date yet because she's a Seven."

"So I'll be taking her on the date this evening, and take Jamie on a date tomorrow morning," Edward said, understanding what she was saying.

"Exactly," Pippa replied.

"Well, I'll go send her the invitation then," Edward said, and left the room, leaving Elliot and Pippa alone.

"You know how you said you wanted to do something fun and spontaneous?" Elliot asked, after giving Pippa a moment to sit sit.

"Yes?" Pippa said questioningly.

"Well, go get on some street clothes, because I've got something fun and spontaneous planned," Elliot said with a grin.

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Ten minutes later, Pippa found herself wearing distressed light denim capri's, a soft, white cotton button down shirt with rolled sleeves and the top two buttons undone, and a pair of sunglasses, standing outside a secret passage that lead them outside the castle. Beside her, Elliot wore sunglasses, a polo shirt, and jeans, which were something she was fairly certain she had never seen him wear before.

"Where exactly are we going?" Pippa asked Elliot, as they both climbed in the car that had been waiting outside for them. "And who is that?" she said, motioning to the man who had just climbed into the driver's seat.

"That's Officer Barbour, the Captain of my personal guard. He's agreed to accompany us on our excursion today," Elliot said, and Officer Barbour gave a slight wave of his hand. "As for where we're going, well, you'll find out when we get there."

After about a fifteen minute drive, their car pulled into the mystery destination, and Pippa let out a small gasp. "We're going to a carnival?"

"Yes we are," Elliot said, grinning at her excitement. "I take it you've never been before."

Pippa shook her head, with her eyes still glued to the Carnival.

"Well, there's a first time for everything. Now come on, let's go!" Elliot said, opening the car door. Together they raced to the carnival, with Officer Barbour close behind.

"What do you want to do first?" Elliot said, after purchasing wristbands for the three of them.

"I've never been before, remember?" Pippa said, nudging him. "You're going to have to pick."

"Okay, then, we're going to do the bumper cars first," Elliot said, and pointed to where they were at.

They got on the bumper cars, each their own car, with Officer Barbour stationed right outside. Pippa looked at the controls. She had never driven anything before, but she knew the theory, so she thought it shouldn't be too difficult.

Much to Pippa's surprise, the bumper cars were jerky and hard to control, and before she knew it, Elliot had run into her.

"Hey!" she shouted, but he just laughed and drove away. "Oh, it's on," Pippa muttered, and chased him around, running into to him over and over again. Finally, the cars all stopped.

"Geez, Pippa, you're ruthless," Elliot said, laughingly. "Now come on, we're going to ride something you can't hurt me on."

Pippa obligingly went with him, which is how moments later, she found her self sitting on the Ferris Wheel.

"Oh!" Pippa said, as the wheel came to a jerky stop, to let other passengers on. She gripped the handle bar tighter, but Elliot just laughed. "Relax, Pippa," he said, leaning back in the seat. "I promise you, you won't fall out."

Pippa relaxed her grip a little, until it stopped at top. "Look!" she said, pointing. "I can see the palace from up here!"

"It's quite the view, isn't it?" Elliot said, smiling at her.

"It's like something out of a movie," she said, and the wheel began to go down again.

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After riding several more rides, some that Pippa enjoyed, and some that scared the daylights out of her, they decided it was time to eat.

"What do you want?" Elliot asked, as they made their way towards the food carts.

"What do they have?" Pippa asked.

"You know, elephant ears, corn dogs, the usual," Elliot said, and Pippa stared at him blankly. "Wait. You've never eaten outside of a palace, have you?"

"Do Royal Embassy's count?" Pippa asked, only half-jokingly.

"You've never eaten outside of a palace before. Wow. Okay, we'll have to start off with all the traditionals. Two elephant ears, please," he said, and handed the money to the vendor. He got back two elephant ears, one of which he gave to Pippa. She stared at it uncertainly.

"These aren't _actual_ elephant ears, are they?" she asked.

Elliot choked back a laugh. "No, they're kind of like a pastry. Try it."

Pippa took a bite, and grinned. "This is good. Not pastry good, but still good," she said, and ate the rest of it.

Elliot looked at her and laughed. "What?" she said.

"Nothing," he replied. "You've got some powdered sugar on your nose," he said, wiping it off of her with his thumb. "But you're good now."

"Thanks," she said, and looked behind him. "Don't look now, but I think those people over there have recognized us."

Elliot, of course, turned his head to look at them. The group of people started making their way towards Pippa and Elliot, and they both groaned.

"Come on, your highnesses, it's time to go," Officer Barbour said, grabbing both of their arms, and weaving his way through the crowd, until they finally made it back to the car.

"So, how did you like the carnival?" Elliot said, as they fastened their seatbelts, and left.

"It was marvelous," Pippa said with a smile. "Thank you for taking me off to do something fun and spontaneous, instead of training to be a queen."

"Hey, no problem," Elliot said. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right," Pippa replied, and together they drove home.

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**Hey lovelies! **

**How'd you like this chapter? I know it was very Pippa-centric, but I can promise Edward will take **_**several**_ **Selected girls on dates next chapter. **

**Several of you asked what **_**favorite**_ **book is, and I'm going to have to go with Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. It is, as Alia Sharma put it, 'another Pre-Illean classic.'**

**Today's QOTD: What do you think of Pippa, Elliot, and Edward? Who do like best, and why?**

**Please drop me a review and let me know! I cherish every review I get, and read each of them at least twice. It really means a lot to me!**

**\- Maggie **

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**Fairy Lori - Thank you so much! I'm so happy that you liked it! Anise was a lot of fun to right, and I'm so happy that I got her right. :) Pippa really is in a category on her own, and I'm glad you love the characters. My sister and I made a few of them, but I did have some great submissions! And I adore A Midsummer's Night Dream! It's one of my favorite plays. **

**4Love4Love - Thank you! I'm so glad you loved it! I'm not quite sure what their ship name is - Ellipa is a strong possibility, but it could also be something like Pipliot. I'm going to bring it up maybe next chapter, and let everyone say what they think :) **

**Alia Sharma - Aw, thank you! I'm glad you liked it! And Little Women is my absolute favorite book, too :)**

**LadyMargaux - Thank you very much! I'm glad you love Pippa so much - she is pretty fabulous :) **

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper - Thank you so much! I love Odette, too - she's got the right idea. And break a leg on your show! **

**Emily1515 - Aw, thank you! I'm glad you liked it :) **

**EmluvsMaxerica (Guest) - Thank you so much! That's so sweet of you to say :) And I'm glad someone else understands the struggles of Hell Week :) **

**Katarina (Guest) - Thank you! I'm glad you like them all so much :) **


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Edward was in the middle of putting his pants on, when Elliot walked into his room without warning, and flopped down on his bed.

"Um, Elliot?" Edward asked, still without pants on. "What are you doing?"

"Resting," Elliot said, and took a bag of crackers out of pocket. "Eating a snack, too."

"Don't you have your own room you can do that in?" Edward said. "I'm still getting dressed before."

"Please. I'm your brother. We used to take baths together," Elliot said, with a wave of his hand. "Plus, I need to talk to you. How'd your date with the Seven go?"

"Her name is Manyata," Edward said, with an annoyed tone of voice. "And it was actually pretty good. She was nice - a little over dramatic at times, maybe, but still really nice."

"Really?" Elliot said, incredulously.

"Really," Edward confirmed. "Anyway, how was your date with Pippa?"

"It wasn't a date," Elliot said, and Edward gave him a look. "It wasn't a date, I swear! It was just, Pippa had never been outside of a palace or Royal Embassy except for public events, and I wanted her to have some fun!"

"Sounds like a date to me," Edward muttered.

"It wasn't a date," Elliot said. "It was just two best friends, having fun together, and not going on a date."

"If you say so," Edward said in a sing-song voice.

"Hey, don't _you_ have a date?" Elliot said, annoyed.

"Yes, I do," Edward said, straightening his tie. "And I'd best be off, because I've been looking forward to this one."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Jamie Ainsley Hunter smiled to herself, as Prince Edward escorted her from her room. Ever since she had gotten the note from him this morning, asking her to accompany him on a picnic lunch. Her maids had picked out a dark red dress with long sleeves, that looked nice against her tan skin. Her thick, curly medium brown hair was left down, and her makeup only accentuated her hazel eyes. They had put her in black peep-toe shoes with a low heel, although she was still six inches shorter than the Prince.

"It would seem we have arrived," Prince Edward said, as they reached their destination. Jamie let out a small gasp. There was a picnic set up in the garden, complete with crystal glasses, little sandwiches and cookies, and a lace tablecloth.

"I'm afraid you'll have to sit on the ground. Is that alright?" Prince Edward asked.

"Oh, it's fine. This is all absolutely lovely, your highness," Jamie said, as she sat down, and smoothed her skirt out."

"I'm glad you like it," Edward said with a smile, as he sat down across from her. "Would care for some lemonade?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you," Jamie said.

Prince Edward took her glass, and poured lemonade for the both of them. After taking a sip of his, he said, "So, Lady Jamie, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a vocal coach, and instrument instructor," Jamie said. "I teach little kids how to make music."

"Oh, what instruments do you play?" Prince Edward asked.

"Saxophone, violin, piano, cello, and flute," Jamie said, "And I hope to learn the clarinet soon. One of my little girls, one of my prodigys, she'd like to learn the clarinet after she masters the violin, and I'd like to be able to teach her."

"You sound like you really care about your students," Prince Edward said with a smile

"Oh, I do. They're what I live for. Most of these children are Two's or Three's, but they're the sweetest, kindest people I've ever met. They don't care that I'm a Five," Jamie said, and her voice got a little quiet. "Thank you, by the way. For inviting me out, even though there are still plenty of Two's and Three's you could date, and I'm just a Five."

Prince Edward grabbed her hand, and gave it a squeeze. "I've actually been looking forward to this date. I do my best not to judge people by a number, and instead focus on what's inside their heart."

Just then, a guard ran up to them, and bowed. "Excuse me, your highness. I'm sorry to interrupt your date, but you are needed in the meeting room."

"Of course," Edward said with a sigh, and stood up. "I hate to break our date off short, but duty calls. We'll have to do this again sometime."

"Of course, your highness," Jamie said, and could feel her heart fluttering as he left. Based on what he just said, she was almost certain he had their date as much as she did.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"And then the next thing I knew, I was up on the stand, cross-examining my ex-boyfriend!" Odette recalled, excitedly telling the story to Pippa.

"No," Pippa said, in disbelief.

"Mhmm," Odette said, nodding her head.

"So, was he the one that did it?" Pippa asked.

"Yes he was. And to think that I wasted almost a year of my life on that poor sucker," Odette said, shaking her head.

"Well, at least he got what he deserved," Pippa said, rubbing Odette's shoulder. Over the past few days, she and Odette had become fast friends. Pippa liked Odette's bluntness, and how she didn't care that she was a princess. It was nice to have a close female friend in these chaotic times.

"Look who just walked in," Odette muttered under her breath, and Pippa turned to look at the door. Lisette Gielen herself had just walked in, and upon meeting Pippa's eye, hurried over to where she and Odette were sitting.

"Oh Princess Pippa, I was just looking for you!" Lisette said, in a sickeningly sweet tone, as she sat down between Pippa and Odette. "I've been meaning to apologize for our little run-in the other day. If I had know it was you, I never would have said that!"

"Apology accepted," Pippa said. _Of course, if it was anyone but me, you still would have said that,_ she thought bitterly.

"Anywho, I just got back from my date with Prince Edward. He was so dreamy, and we hit it off right away! Has he said anything about me?" Lisette asked, with a fake smile plastered across her face.

"No," Pippa said curtly, and made a mental note to check with Edward about it later.

"Oh," Lisette faltered, "Well, _we_ did just go out, and I can see you've been talking to, um - Odessa."

"Odette," Odette corrected, from where she was smushed against the armrest of the couch.

"Right," Lisette said, brushing her off. "Anyways, Princess Pippa, can you tell me more about the Prince? His favorite foods, romantic history, things he - likes?"

"I actually have to be going," Pippa said. "I need to go get ready for dinner, and then the report is later, so I suggest you do the same thing.

Pippa walked upstairs, into the third floor common room, where she found Elliot and Edward watching TV.

"Hi Pippa," Elliot said, upon her entry.

"Hey Elliot. Hello Edward," Pippa said, and sat down next to them.

"What have you been up to?" Edward asked.

"I've actually been meaning to talk to you," Pippa replied. "How were your dates today?"

"The date with Jamie was very nice," Edward said. "I enjoyed it a lot. Lisette, well, it was interesting. We saw a movie, and she was pretty nice. She was all over me, which was a little weird. Not bad though."

"I would think not," Elliot said with a smirk, and Pippa threw a pillow at him.

"She was nice?" Pippa asked Edward, in disbelief.

"Yeah, why does that surprise you?" he asked her.

"No reason," Pippa said quickly. "The report's in an hour and a half, so I'm going to go get ready. You guy's should consider it, too."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

An hour and a half later, Elliot found himself standing outside Pippa's room, waiting for her once again. Even though she had left to get ready before him, she still wasn't finished, which is something he would never understand.

Pippa opened the door, and shut it carefully behind her.

"Well, what do you think?" she said, gesturing to her dress, and Elliot had to admit she looked breathtaking. Her gown was a pale blue, and made of satiny material. It was fitted up through her mid-thigh, where it began to flare out slightly. Her sleeves went off-the-shoulder, and the top part of dress had jewels stitched into it. Her hair was done up nicely, and her diamond earrings matched the tiara that was delicately perched on her head.

"Looks like someone's trying to impress someone," Elliot teased.

"Well, with so many other girls here, I have to remind them somehow who's the best," Pippa said with a smirk, and Elliot knew she was only half-joking. Ever since they were young, Pippa's parents had drilled 'you're going to be queen so you have to be the best' into her head.

They reached the top of the stairs, and Elliot was struck with an idea. He leaned into Pippa, and whispered, "Wanna make some girls jealous?"

"You know it," Pippa whispered with a grin.

Elliot offered her his arm, and together they gracefully descended the grand staircase. He and Pippa both grinned when they saw the jealous looks some of the girls were giving them, particularly Lisette, who seemed infuriated that she had no one to escort her.

They rounded the corner, into the report room, and Pippa and Elliot shared a small high five, still grinning at the look on her face.

Lorri Foster tugged uncomfortably at her dress. If they were attacked right now, it would be difficult for her to move in, which went against all her police training. Maybe next week, she could convince her maids to let her wear a fancy pant suit, and set her mind at ease.

Lorri sat on the bleachers, watching all the girls run around, frantically fixing their hair of dresses. Beside her, Juliet Skyes nervously smoothed her flowy, seafoam green dress out. On her other side, Margaux Bautista played with her hair. In front of her, Stella Prichard, Lisette Gielen, and Tessa Montin sat chattering. Stella was reapplying her lipstick, while Lisette tugged her already low cut dress down even more. Tessa simply stared off into the distance, with a bored expression on her face.

Lorri didn't really understand what all the fuss was about. Sure, she was pretty enough, and liked a good red lipstick as much as the next girl, but didn't understand why they were so caught in up in how they looked, like it was the most important thing in the world. Putting your life on the line as a Cadet in the Illean Police Force everyday put things into perspective.

"Alright ladies, settle down, settle down! You'll be sitting here the whole time, however, Layla might come over and ask a few of you questions, so be prepared!" Marisole said, then scurried off.

"Places!" the cameraman called, and Lorri put on her best smile. "We're on the air in five, four, three, two…"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Hello beautifuls! **

**Thank you for reading this chapter! As always, please review, and tell me what you liked, disliked, any suggestions you have for me, etc. Even the smallest reviews make me incredibly happy, and increases my want to write!**

**Today's QOTD: It has come to my attention that many of you ship Pippa and Elliot. ;) So, what do you think their ship name should be? Ellipa? Pipliot? Or something entirely different?**

**Drop me a review and let me know!**

**-Maggie **

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**Perksofbeingminho - Thank you so much! I'm glad you like Pippa and Elliot, and I really appreciate you reviewing!**

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper - Haha, I'm happy you feel so strongly about Elliot and Pippa! And you're right about Edward. That's something he and Pippa are going to have to work on ;) And once again, thank you for reviewing!**

**LadyMargaux - Thank you very much for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the carnival - it was one of my favorite things to write :) **

**this FF is good (guest) - Thank you so much! It makes me so happy that you like my story, and that you like my writing style. It really means a lot to me. And you're right about Pippa - she's going to have to learn to let Edward do his own thing :)**

**EmluvsMaxeria - First off, thank you for reviewing not once, but TWICE for one chapter! I'm happy you like Pippa so much : ) **


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Brynn smiled at the camera, as Layla Fadaye began to speak.

"Good evening, Illea! Welcome to the Capitol Report! To start us off, we have a few announcements…"

As Layla spoke about budget policies and international affairs, Brynn smoothed out her dress, and thanked her lucky stars she had been so well prepared for this. As she was a member of the Midston Monkeys, a professional softball team, she was no stranger to being on camera. Brynn was also very comfortable speaking in front of people, as she was the one who made the official team announcements. From the looks of it, some of the girls here weren't as comfortable on camera as she was. Poor Isla Bouchard looked like she was turning green.

"And now, we're going to talk to some of the Selected girls!" Layla said, and walked over the stands in which all of the Selected were sitting. "Lady Saffron, what do you think of Prince Edward?"

"Oh, he's very nice," Saffron said. "I've enjoyed what I've seen of him."

"What about you, Lady Brynn?" Layla asked, and Brynn sat up a little straighter. "It is to my understanding that you've been on a date with Prince Edward. How was that?"

"Oh, it was wonderful," Brynn said with a smile. "I really enjoyed my time with him. He was nothing but lovely." She glanced over, and caught Prince Edward's eye. He smiled at her, and she blushed a little. She was normally very outgoing, but something about the Prince made her blush and giggle like she was young again.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Juliet played with the hem of her dress, as she waited for Prince Edward to come by her room. She had been invited out to breakfast with him, and her maids had picked out a pretty blue dress. It flowed out from her waist to her knees, and had a top covered completely in white lace. She hoped he came soon, though. She was very hungry.

Just then, she heard a knock on the door, and her wish was granted. Juliet ran to the door, and opened it.

"Hello, Prince Edward," she said, with a small curtsy.

"Hello, Lady Juliet," Prince Edward said, and offered her his arm. "Shall we go?"

"Where are we headed?" she asked, as they walked along together.

"A small parlor, just down the hall," he said. "Here we are now."

They stepped into the parlor, in which there was a small table, with porcelain dishes and crystal glasses. Prince Edward pulled Juliet's chair out for her, and when the maid came over with the food, Juliet let out a small gasp.

"Is something wrong?" Edward asked concernedly.

"No, no, it's just, I love waffles," Juliet said, a little sheepishly, as she pulled two waffles onto her plate.

Prince Edward relaxed, and let out a small laugh. "So do I," he said, and grabbed a couple for himself.

"So, tell me about yourself, Lady Juliet," Prince Edward said, between bites. "What do you like to do?"

"Well, I'm an assistant kindergarten teacher, in a public school for Sixes and Sevens, so I spend most of my time either teaching them or prepping for that," Juliet said, and took another bite.

"So, do you like working with kids?" Edward asked.

"Oh, I love it!" Juliet exclaimed. "My kids are some of my favorite people."

"What else do you like to do?" Edward said with a smile.

"Well, I do like riding horses a lot. I also enjoyed reading and baking cupcakes," Juliet said, and reached for a couple more waffles. As she grabbed them, her elbow hit the pitcher of milk, and it spilled all over Prince Edward and onto the floor.

"Oh no! I'm terribly sorry, your highness!" Juliet said, and rushed to mop the milk up off the floor. "I didn't mean for it to happen, I swear, I -"

"Juliet," Edward said, crouching down to wear she was, and placing his hand on top of hers. "It's alright."

"But, I, your suit!" she exclaimed, pointing to him.

"The maids can clean it," he said. "And in the meantime, I have other suits I can wear."

"I'm so sorry," Juliet said, once more.

"There's no need to be," Edward said, helping her up from the floor. "Now, while the maids clean this up, how about you and I go to the kitchen for some strawberries?"

"I'd like that," Juliet said, shyly.

"Good," Edward said, offering her his arm. "Because there's still so much more I'd like to know about you."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Smile, Princess Pippa!"

"Over here, Prince Elliot!"

"Look this way, your highnesses!"

Pippa stepped out of the limo, and onto the red carpet. Elliot stood beside her, with their security detail close behind. Queen Lorianne had asked them to attend an opening of a new orphanage on her behalf. However, before they could get to the actual charity part, first they had to take pictures.

Pippa posed next to Elliot on the red carpet. She smoothed out her skirt, and smiled. Her dress for this event was deep emerald, and ended just above her knees, with a high gold collar and matching belt.

"Come inside now, your majesties," the guard said, and ushered them inside. Once they were inside, a woman approached, and curtsied.

"Welcome, your highnesses," she said. "My name is Maria. We're very happy that you could come to the opening of this new orphanage."

"It's our pleasure," Elliot said warmly.

"Now if you'll come right this way, the ceremony is about to begin," Maria said, and led them over to their seats on the stage.

They both sat down as the Mayor of Angeles began his speech, and Pippa began to zone out. She had sat through enough of these that she knew when to stand, and when to just sit and smile.

"His fly's undone," Elliot whispered to Pippa, with a small smirk on his face.

Pippa stifled a giggle. "Shh, you're going to make me laugh," she said.

"It's so obvious, though," Elliot whispered.

"If we weren't on camera right now, I would smack you," Pippa said, out of the corner of her mouth.

"Oh shoot, we're on camera," Elliot said, and sat up a little straighter.

After the Mayor was done with his speech, Maria ushered Pippa and Elliot over to the children. "Now, we'd like to see you interacting with the children. They're very excited to meet you," she said, and opened the door.

Pippa and Elliot stepped into the room, and waved at the children. "Hello boys, and girls, we're very excited to meet you!" Pippa said, and all the kids waved back. One lone photographer in the back of the room quickly snapped some pictures. "I'm Princess Pippa, and this is my friend Prince Elliot."

"It would seem that there are some new toys here," Elliot said, gesturing to the room around him. "Now, who wants to play?"

All the kids cheered, and ran off. Elliot ran after a group of boys to go play soccer, and Pippa took pictures with a group of girls. After that, she noticed one girl sitting and drawing by herself, so she walked over there.

"Hi, I'm Pippa," she said, sitting down next to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Adalyn," the girl said shyly.

"How old are you, Adalyn?" Pippa asked, and Adalyn held up five fingers. "You're five? Wow! I'm seventeen."

"What are you drawing?" Pippa said, pointing to Adalyn's drawing.

"That's me," Adalyn said, pointing to the girl in the picture. "I'm a princess."

"You're a princess? Well, it's nice to meet you, Princess Adalyn," Pippa said, and Adalyn blushed. "I'm a princess, too. However, every princess needs a crown."

Pippa grabbed several pieces of paper, and cut out some paper crowns. She placed one on Adalyn's head, and one on her own. "There," she said. "Now you're really a princess."

"What's going on over here?" Elliot said, walking up to their table.

"I was just talking to Adalyn. She's a princess, you know," Pippa said, gesturing to the paper crowns.

"Gee, I wish I had a crown like that," Elliot said, with an over exaggerated sigh.

"It just so happens that I have more," Pippa said, and placed one on Elliot's head. "Now you're a princess, too."

"Just what I've always wanted," Elliot said, in a dramatic voice.

"Smile, your highnesses!" the photographer said, and they crouched down around Adalyn. "This is front page material!"

They all smiled, and the photographer took the picture. After that, their security approached them.

"Excuse me, but it's time so leave, your highnesses," the guard said, and gestured to the door.

"Off course," Pippa said, and took off her crown. "Aren't you going to take yours off, too?"

"Nah," Elliot said. "I'm not about to go and take off the best crown anyone's ever made me."

Pippa smiled. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Adalyn. I hope you remember that you're a princess!"

They exited the building, and got into their limo.

"You know, you made that little girl really happy over there," Elliot said, as they buckled themselves in.

"It was just, I've never realized how some girls actually really want to be a princess," Pippa said. "I get so caught up in training to be queen, that sometimes I forget about the perks of the job."

"I'd say making little girls smile like that is one of the biggest," Elliot said, and together they rode home.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Hello, loves!**

**How'd you like this chapter? I meant to include more dates, I really did, but I was really stuck, so I figured I would upload this know instead of making you all wait three weeks for me to think of something. Any date ideas would be greatly appreciated!**

**Today's QOTD - We know that Edward likes waffles, and Juliet LOVES waffles. What's your favorite food?**

**Also, ship name - Pipliot, or Ellipa? You choose!**

**PLEASE review and let me know what you think! I am always seeking feedback on my work, whether it be praise, story ideas, or things I need to work on. It really makes my day!**

**\- Maggie **

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**Canadaorbust - Thank you so much!**

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper - Thank you! And I get what you're saying about Pippa and Elliot - they frustrate me at times. And did you like Juliet's waffles?**

**LadyMargaux - Ah, thank you so much! I'm glad you like it so much! Your review absolutely made my day!**

**EmluvsMaxerica - Aw, shucks, thank you! And I get what you're saying about Jamie - some of the girls **_**do**_ **seem a little one-dimensional, and I hope to explore more of their character as the story progresses. When more girls get eliminated, it'll give me more time to focus on the ones I have :)**

**21205 - First off, thank you for not only reviewing, but also favoriting and following both me and the book! You rock! Oh gosh, I never thought I'd be asked for fanfiction writing tips - I would say just make sure to keep at it, even when things seem bleak, because it's totally worth it in the end. I can promise we will DEFINITELY see more of Odette, and as for Elliot, well, I can't make any guarantees, but I **_**am**_ **trying to work more of that side in ;)**

**4Love4Love - Thank you very much! I'm so happy you liked Jamie's date! She was a lot of fun to write :)**

**sydejilar - We're all emotionally invested in Pippa and Elliot here. Welcome to the club! Also, thanks for reviewing and following!**


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

"Lady Ailsa?" Edward said, knocking on her door. "Are you in there?"

"I'm right here," Ailsa said, opening the door. "I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting. My maids had to fix part of my dress."

"It's perfectly fine," Edward said warmly. "Now, shall we go to tea?"

Ailsa nodded, and Edward offered her his arm. Together, they set off.

"So, Lady Ailsa, you mentioned you had been in the palace before, with your father. Could you tell me more about that?" Edward asked.

"Well, my father is a politician, representing Denbeigh, and so he was always in and out of the palace. He does most of his work back in Denbeigh now, but when I was younger, he was frequently in and out of the palace. When I was little, he used to take me to some of the events," Ailsa said.

"Anything you can remember in particular?" Edward asked.

"Oh, many times. I was here for Christmas parties, palace 'playdates,' and more. But, one time, when I was four, my father took me to the palace easter egg hunt. I was trying to get an egg, but a boy came in and took it before I could. I think it must have been you or Prince Elliot, because my father was very upset that I had done that," Ailsa said, blushing slightly.

"That was you?" Edward said, laughing. "I still remember that!"

"Really?" Ailsa said, smiling.

"Really," Edward said. "I knew there was something familiar about you. Although I must say, you have changed quite a bit."

"Yes, well, it's been quite some time since I've been here," Ailsa said, with a small smile.

Edward looked at her with a smile. She wasn't the slightly chubby little red-haired girl he remembered pushing him over. Now, she was small and slender, with chestnut hair that was lightly curled. She still had the same big, deep brown eyes, though.

"Well, Ailsa," Edward said. "It's very good to have you back."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Pippa took a deep breath, and surveyed the girls standing in front of her. "Alright, ladies, you might be wondering why I have gathered you all in the Women's Room today."

Murmurs and head nods came from all corners of the room.

"Well, in ten minutes, the royal family of Swendway will be arriving. In exactly two hours, you all will be attending a ball thrown in their honor."

The room burst into chatter. "But that's absurd!" Lisette complained. "We barely have any time to prepare!"

"If you win the Selection," Pippa said, and the room instantly quieted. "That is the sort of thing you will have to get used to. Princesses and Queens often have to be ready to receive guests with even less time than you have now, so I suggest you get on it."

All the girls left to go get ready, while Pippa went to where she was supposed to stand to greet the Swendish family. She made it to the top of steps, where she was supposed to stand next to Elliot, just as the limo pulled in.

Out stepped the royal family, and Pippa smiled. It was good to see them again. King Adar was her godfather, and she had known Prince Anthony, who was twenty two, Prince Malcolm, who was eighteen, and Princess Astrid, who was fifteen, since she was very small.

"How's my favorite goddaughter?" King Adar, said, shaking Pippa's hand, then hugging her.

"I'm doing quite alright, but I thought Carmen was your favorite?" Pippa said, referring to Princess Carmen of Greece.

"Well, we just won't tell her," King Adar said, with a twinkle in his eye, then moved onto the next person.

After that, Pippa and Queen Eleonore greeted each other warmly, with the promise to give her mother her love. Prince Anthony was next, who kissed her hand, and gave her a hug.

"You've grown quite a bit, Pippa," Prince Anthony said, ruffling her hair fondly, then moving on.

Princess Astrid was next, who Pippa hugged, and promised to talk with after the ball. Lastly came Prince Malcolm, who gave Pippa a quick kiss on the cheek, before joining the rest of his family.

As the Swendish Royal family left with Queen Lorianne and and Prince Edward, Pippa noticed Elliot making a weird face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"What was that with Prince Malcolm?" Elliot said, in reference to how he had greeted her.

"Nothing," Pippa said. "We're just old friends."

Elliot snorted. "I was there at that Christmas party, you know," he said skeptically.

"We don't talk about that," Pippa said, blushing ever-so-slightly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get ready for the ball."

Pippa hurried up to her room, pushing all thoughts of Malcolm and international Christmas parties out of her head. The ball started in an hour and a half, and if she was going to look as good as she wanted to, she and her maids were going to have to hurry.

"I'm here," Pippa said, breathlessly, as she burst into her room. Her maids stood up, and started bustling about.

"Alright, we've already laid everything out. So, if you'll just sit down here, while Mara does your hair, Gracie does your nails, and I do your make-up, we should have you ready to get goin' in no time," Adeline said, and hustled Pippa over to the stool. Together, she, Mara, and Grace made Pippa look practically perfect. With just ten minutes to spare, they got out her dress.

The dress they had crafted for her was a very deep blue, with lacy flowers trailing all the way throughout the dress. There was a low back, ending just below the middle of her back, and the sleeves were mesh, with only a few lacy flowers here and there. Pippa put on the dress, and topped it off with silver heels and a silver tiara.

"Well, show us, show us," Adeline said, impatiently. Pippa spun around for them, showing off the ensemble. The maids oohed and aahed.

"Oh, you look beautiful, miss!" Grace said, clasping her hands together. Mara and Adeline nodded in agreement.

"Oh, thank you, girls!" Pippa said, and glanced at the clock. "Oh dear, I should be off. The ball is due to start any minute now."

Pippa left the room, and ran down the hallway as fast as she could in her heels. When she got to the staircase, she hopped on the railway, and slid down it. Elliot rounded the corner just as she reached the bottom, and she slid right into him, knocking both of them to the ground.

"Oh, there you are," Elliot said, helping her up. "I was just about to go looking for you. The ball's about to start."

"Well, I'm here now," Pippa said, and dusted herself off. "Shall we go?"

He offered her his arm, and they set off to where they were supposed to wait to be announced. As the Swendish Royal Family was announced, Elliot leaned into Pippa and whispered, "You look nice, by the way."

"Thanks," Pippa whispered, with a small smile, and then it was their turn.

"Presenting His Royal Highness, Prince Elliot of Illea, and Her Royal Highness Princess Pippa of England, Princess Royal and Heir Apparent," the announcer said, and Pippa and Elliot stepped through the doors together while the crowd clapped and cheered.

They walked over towards where the Swendish Royal Family was standing, and waited for the others to be announced.

"Presenting His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Edward of Illea!" the announcer said, and Edward walked through the doors, smiling and waving at the crowd. The selected girls cheered loudest of all.

"Presenting Her Majesty Queen Lorianne of Illea, Queen Regent," the announcer said, once more, and the queen walked through, the picture of sophistication. After her entrance, the musicians started up the music, and the dancing began. King Adar and Queen Helene began the dancing, as did Queen Loiranne, with Prince Anthony. Edward soon joined in with Ailsa Bloomsburg, and Pippa and Elliot joined in soon after.

"Ow," Pippa whispered, as she and Elliot waltzed along together.

"What?" Elliot asked.

"You stepped on my toe," Pippa answered, through gritted teeth.

"Oops. Sorry," Elliot apologized.

"Didn't your mother make you take dance lessons?" Pippa asked, as she dodged another stray foot.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I was ever any good. Not like Edward, at least," Elliot said, nodding his head in Edward's direction. He and Ailsa looked like a dream dancing together.

After the dance was over, and Pippa's toes had been stepped on twice more, she and Elliot left the dancefloor and made a beeline for the food.

"Mmm, this is _heavenly_," Pippa said, as she munched on a pastry. Elliot nodded in agreement.

"Excuse me, Princess, may I have this dance?" a familiar voice said, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Malcolm!" Pippa exclaimed, turning around to see him. "Of course!"

He lead her out to the dance floor, and carefully placed his hand on her back. They began waltzing together. When they turned around, Pippa saw Elliot making a face. She decided to ignore him, though.

"So, Malcolm, how have you been?" Pippa asked.

"Oh, I've been doing fine. It's nice to see you, and be here. It's a nice change of pace," Malcolm said.

"It's nice to see you to," Pippa said.

"Listen, Pippa, I've been meaning to talk to you," Malcolm said, "About that Christmas Party."

"What about?" Pippa asked.

"I just, well, I wanted to make sure it didn't...mean anything to you," Malcolm said. "Because...I…"

"Because you're seeing Maria," Pippa said, referring to the sixteen-year-old Italian princess."

"How'd you know?" Malcolm said, a little flabbergasted.

"She's one of my best friends. Do you really think she wouldn't tell me?" Pippa said, laughing. "And don't worry about me. I've completely moved on from that."

"Oh, good," Malcolm said, relieved, as he spun her.

"How is Maria, by the way?" Pippa asked.

Malcolm's eye's lit up. "Oh she's wonderful, actually. She's..."

Just then, a loud wailing sound was heard from the corner. Pippa sighed. "Excuse me, Malcolm. I'd love to stay and chat, but I need to go fix this."

"Of course," Malcolm said, taking her hand and kissing it. Pippa scurried off the dance floor, over to where she found Alexis Ross and Princess Astrid both covered in punch. The former had let out a loud wail, after spilling the punch, and the latter was looking a little put-out about having had punch spilled all over her. Pippa lead both of girls into a room off to the side, where there were several maids there to help them both clean up. After making sure both the girls were situated, Pippa returned to where she had left Elliot - by the food table. To no surprise, he was still there.

"Crisis averted," Pippa said, as she walked up to him. Elliot just nodded. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing his expression.

"Malcolm," Elliot said curtly.

"Oh my gosh, Elliot, are we still on that?" Pippa said exasperatedly.

"I was there at that Christmas Party, I saw the two of you making out," Elliot said, grimly.

"Yes, but that was almost two years ago!" Pippa exclaimed. "We've both moved on since then! In fact, he's seeing Maria!"

"Oh," Elliot said, a little sheepishly.

"Yeah," Pippa said. "Why does it matter to you, anyways?"

Elliot mumbled something under his breath.

"Sorry, what was that?" Pippa asked.

"Nothing," Elliot said.

"Alright," Pippa sighed. "Now stop grumbling, and come dance with me, doofus."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The next evening, Edward found himself in his room, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

He had a date with Margaux Sofia Bautista tonight, and at the end, he was going to send her home. _It's the logical thing to do_, he thought to himself. _An eight could never be queen_.

Edward had an envelope full of money in coat pocket, to give to her when she left. He told himself it was because he wanted to help start her out, but he knew, deep inside, that it was only him trying to make up for eliminating her based solely on her caste.

He walked down to her room, and taking a deep breath, knocked on her door. Out stepped a lovely girl, with creamy pale skin, dark, lightly curled hair, and beautiful blue eyes. If he hadn't know she was an eight, he would of thought her a two or three, with the way she looked.

"Shall we go?" he said, offering her his arm, which she took silently. They set off, to take a walk around the gardens.

"So I suppose you've been wondering why I'm an eight," Margaux said, addressing the elephant in the room, after a few minutes of walking silently.

"Well, yes. In the records it said you stole something, but,"

"But you can't help but wonder if there's more to the story," Margaux said, finishing his sentence. "Well, there is. It all started when I was fifteen…"

As they walked, Margaux told him a story, about a young girl who was a singer, and a five, and living happily, until she was wrongfully accused of stealing and canned for a crime she didn't commit. She spun a tale of a girl, with no where to go, who had to pick up the pieces of herself and make her way in the world. And as she told this story, Edward walked silently, listening to every word, mesmerized by the sound of her voice.

They reached the end of the pathway, and their walk ended. Edward felt his stomach sink.

"You're going to eliminate me now, aren't you?" Margaux said, reading his mind perfectly. Edward felt the envelope of money burning a hole in his pocket. "It's okay. I can understand. I would eliminate me, too - too much bad publicity if I didn't," she said, tossing her hair.

"No, actually," Edward said, thinking about the girl who had been wrongfully accused of a crime, and how she had to pick herself back up, and how much he wanted to see where her story took her next. "I'd like you to stay for a while, actually."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Hello, loves!**

**How'd you guys like this chapter? Personally, it's one of my favorites so far. What'd you think of Margaux, Ailsa, and Malcolm? How about the ball?**

**I need a little help - as you can see with Prince Malcolm, Pippa and Elliot definitely have history with other royals, whether it be rivalry, friendship, or something more, so several different royal families will make appearances in the story. I still need names for two New Asian princes, as well as names for Kings and Queens from multiple countries. I already have all the personalities figured out, but if you have any name ideas, that would be greatly appreciated. It could even be your own name - you could have a royal named after you!**

**The votes are in, and our official Pippa/Elliot ship name is Pipliot! Woo hoo!**

**Today's QOTD - Who are your top two favorite selected girl's thus far? Who would you like to see more of?**

**Please review and tell me what you thought! Reviews are the only sort of payment fanfiction authors get, and I appreciate every single one!**

**Next chapter should be up sometime towards the end of this week. Hold on to your hat's, folks - next chapter is going to have big elimination, and it's going to be WILD.**

**-Maggie **

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**LadyMargaux - Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it. Personally, my favorite food is pasta. Although, I do love almost every kind!**

**Canadaorbust - Thank you very much!**

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper - Thank you! I'm so glad you liked the waffles :) And I hope your show is going well!**

**Sydejilar - Thank you! And I feel similarly about them :)**

**EmluvsMaxerica - Thank you for reviewing! And don't worry, a big elimination is coming up, and another one soon after, so we should be able to focus on our main girls soon :)**

**Total Fangirl (guest) - Thanks for reviewing! And don't worry, I fully intend on finishing this story :)**


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

**Like I said last chapter, hang on to your hats, folks, and be prepared for an elimination. **

Pippa awoke to loud noise, coming from the hallways and ceilings.

'BEEP BEEP BEEP' it screamed, as lights on the ceilings flashed red.

Pippa sat up, with her heart pounding. If this was what she thought it was, then they were in serious trouble.

"Excuse me miss, but we have to get you to safety," a guard said, rushing into her room.

"What's wrong?" Pippa said groggily, even though she was already pretty sure she knew what was happening.

"It would seem miss," the guard said, "That the palace is under attack."

Pippa nodded, and grabbed her robe. Just then, she heard a loud voice from the hallway.

"Let me go!" it shouted. "I have to make sure she's okay!"

Elliot burst into her room, panting breathlessly in his silk pajamas, with a guard right behind him. "C'mon, Pippa, we have to go," he said, grabbing her hand, and together they ran. They ran into his room, and down a secret passage behind a wall. When they got there, they found Queen Lorianne sitting quietly, and Edward pacing back and forth.

"Oh, thank goodness the two of you are safe," the queen said, wrapping the two of them up in her arms.

Pippa was still worried, though. "But where are all the Selected girls?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

What really worried Loraine wasn't the alarm noise. She was used to that by now. Back at the Illean police force, the alarm would go off all the time. Sometimes it was a false alarm, sometimes it was for trivial things, and at other times, it actually was an emergency. But Loriane wasn't worried about the alarm.

No, what worried Loraine was the scream.

As soon as she heard it, she bolted out of her bed, and ran next door. There she found Olivia Edwards, who was sitting up straight in her bed, with a terrified look on her face.

Loraine didn't wait for a guard to tell her what to do, instead, letting her instincts take control. She picked up the slight of girl, and threw her over her shoulder, then ran back to her room. She had noticed a slight difference in one of the wood panels, and she would bet anything that a secret escape would be there.

She set Olivia down, and pried it open. Sure enough, there was a staircase there leading down to a safe room. She pushed Olivia down the stairs, and shut the door behind them. Finally, she had done her job, and they were both safe.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Ailsa stumbled along the hallway, picking up the skirt of her nightgown as she, Odette, Mavis, and Saffron ran to safety with the guard who had been assigned to get them there. As the alarm wailed louder, the others began to run faster, and she struggled to keep up.

"Wait for me!" she yelled, as she tripped over the hem of her shirt. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain coming from her ankle.

"Come on, miss, we have to get you to safety," the guard said, motioning for her to follow.

Ailsa tried to stand, but as soon as she put pressure on her ankle, she promptly collapsed. "My ankle," she said, grimacing. "I think it's sprained, or maybe broken."

The guard scooped her up in his arms, and ran to the safe room with the other girls as she clung to him. They made it through the doorway, and down the stairs to where the Royal Family and some of the other selected girls were waiting.

"Oh, thank goodness you made it," Prince Edward said, rushing over to them. "What's wrong?" he asked, motioning to Ailsa, who was still in the guard's arms.

"My ankle," she explained. "I tripped. I'm not sure if it's broken or sprained."

"Well, if you'll give me Lady Ailsa, I'm sure I can take care of her from here. Thank you, officer," Edward said, and took Ailsa out of the guards arms. He carried her over to a bed, and set her down. Ailsa was almost disappointed - she felt safe in his arms.

"This might hurt a little," Edward said, reaching out to feel her ankle. "You can hold my hand if need be."

He prodded her ankle, seeing if it was in fact broken, or merely sprained, and Ailsa was very thankful for the hand to hold onto.

"I don't think it's broken, just sprained," Edward said. "Just rest until this is over, and then we'll get your foot wrapped." Ailsa nodded. "Do you feel alright?" he asked, his eyes full of concern.

"I'll be alright," Ailsa said. "Thank you, Edward. For everything."

Their eyes met, and he gave her a small smile.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Juliet could feel her chest rising and falling rapidly, as her breathing speed up. She had been completely calm on her way down here, however, the reality of the situation had just sunk in for her. This wasn't some game, they were under _attack_.

"Juliet, what's wrong?" Lydia said, noticing how rapidly Juliet was breathing.

"I...I…" Juliet stumbled for words.

"Juliet?" Lydia said concernedly. Then, it hit it. "Oh no, Juliet, you can't be having a panic attack. The prince won't like that at all!"

That only seemed to worry Juliet more.

"Um…just, think of something else!" Lydia said frantically. "Think of, um, think of waffles!"

Juliet tried thinking of waffles, which seemed to work for a moment, until their impending doom hit her again, and her breathing sped up.

"That's not going to work at all," Brynn Anderson said, turning to face Juliet. "Here, let me help."

Brynn took both of Juliet's hands into her own. "Okay, Juliet, breath with me. Breath in, two, three, four, Hold it, two, three, four, five, six, Release, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Repeat." Brynn and Juliet repeated the cycle several more times, until at last Juliet's breath seemed to have have slowed back to it's normal pace. "Just relax. Everything is under control, and we're going to be all right."

Juliet nodded, breathing slowly, and let go of Brynn's hands. "Thank you, for that. Where did you learn that?"

"Sometimes I have to help calm down new team members before a game, or an appearance," Brynn shrugged. "And any time."

"How are ladies all doing?" Prince Edward said, walking over towards where Lydia, Juliet, and Brynn sat.

"We're doing alright, your highness," Lydia said, answering for the three of them.

"Good. I'm very glad to see how calm you all are. Some of the other girls, I can't say the same about," Edward said, motioning his head towards Quinn de la Fontaine, who was crying hysterically as her friends tried to comfort her.

Juliet, Lydia, and Brynn all shared a knowing glance, before replying, "Thank you, your highness."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Elliot paced back and forth, surveying the room. Almost all the girls had made it back, except for two. Emmy O'Malley and Anise Gruene were still no where to be found, so Edward was sending guards out to find them.

His eyes landed on Pippa, who was sitting on a cot, looking entirely too calm. That was when Elliot knew something was up with her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting down next to Pippa on the cot.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong," she said, sitting perfectly still.

"Pippa, I know you. When something's really wrong, you hide it by being completely emotionless. So tell me, what's wrong? Are you scared?" Elliot asked gently.

"Honestly," Pippa whispered, turning to face him. "I'm terrified. All I can think about is that one night, back in England, when we were attacked. The one where I-I-"

"We don't have to talk about that, if you don't want to," Elliot said, and Pippa nodded her head gratefully. Although he had never heard her experience, he knew exactly what night she was talking about. Some things were just too painful to recall, he supposed.

Elliot wrapped his arms around her, in a big bear hug. "I'm so glad you're safe," he whispered, holding her tightly.

"I'm so glad you're safe, too," Pippa whispered. "You're my best friend, and I don't know what I'd do without you."

They sat there together for a while, just the two of them, protecting each other from the world, until Edward made an announcement.

"Thank you ladies, for your cooperation. The head of Security has informed me that it is all clear out there, and you may return to your rooms. I will be coming to speak to each of you individually."

Elliot and Pippa got up, and slowly walked back to their rooms on the third floor. Pippa slept soundly for the rest of the night. Elliot, not so much - he was still worrying about Pippa.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Edward cleared his throat, and addressed the girls in front of him. "You might be wondering why I have gathered you all here this morning."

The girls all nodded sleepily, still tired from the night before.

"Well, I have come to inform you that the attack last night was not actually an attack," he said, and paused. "It was a test."

The reactions of the girls varied, from relieved, to confused, to straight up angry.

"The security and I staged a test," Edward said, and the room quieted, "To test how you would act in such circumstances. No one was supposed to know, except for me, and the highest ranking guards. Based on last night, and what I have seen of you the past couple weeks, I have decided to make an elimination. I have eliminated six girls, who I was certain didn't have it in them to be queen, or whom I simply wasn't compatible with at all. The girls are, Manyata Sharma, Kiera O'Neil, Teegan Richards, Isla Bouchard, Alexis Diana Ross, and Quinn de la Fontaine."

The girls in the room looked around for the ones who had been eliminated.

"I have already spoken to the girls who were eliminated, and they were sent home early this morning. So congratulations, girls," Edward said, and smiled. "You've passed the first test."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**What'd you guys think of this chapter? How about the elimination? A few of the girls were just names that my sister and I came up with, but I am sorry to those who submitted characters who got eliminated. They were all fantastic, really. **

**The next big elimination will be narrowing the girl's down to the Elite! I think Edward (and I) have got a pretty good idea of who's going to be in the Elite, but some things **_**do**_ **have to happen for us to get there. So, today's QOTD is, **_**Who do you want to be in the Elite?**_

**The results are in from last chapter's QOTD, and Odette seems to be the favorite selected girl, with Ailsa coming in second and Juliet and Jamie tying for third! These are all such great characters, and I'm very excited to reveal more of them and the other Selected girl's personalities. There are a few things I haven't shown yet, and I think you'll like them. **

**As always, please review! Tell me if you loved it, what I could do better, or anything you want to see in the story!**

**-Maggie **

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**LadyMargaux - Thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked it! And I had a lot of fun writing about Margaux...she's such an interesting character! Thank you for submitting names, too!**

**Canadaorbust - Thank you so much! **

**Leopardsplash - Thank you! I'm very glad you liked it :) And thank's for the name suggestions!**

**Perksofbeingminho - Thank you very much! I'm happy you've liked it so far - the drama-filled part's are my favorite ones, too. And thanks for the suggestions!**

**OmgitsAfangirl (guest) - Thank you! As for how many generations after Maxon and America, I'm not entirely sure. When I had originally started this story, I had thought it would be before their time, like maybe Edward would be Maxon's great-great grandfather, or something like that, especially since the caste system is being dissolved by Maxon. After reading the heir, and seeing the family tree's in the back, though, I'm not sure where this fits in. **

**Guest - Thanks for reviewing! **

**Also thanks to Monkeys4ever001 and bellqrke for favoriting and following!**


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Who's your date today, Edward?" Elliot asked, as Edward straightened his tie.

"Odette Pevion," Edward said, smoothing out his hair.

"Ooh, you'll like her," Pippa said eagerly. "She's great fun."

Edward just nodded. He agreed with her - Odette _was_ fun, with a great sense of humor, but it was clear on their first date that nothing was going to arise out of that relationship.

Pippa really seemed to like her though, and he didn't have the heart to send her home, which was how he found himself standing outside her door precisely ten minutes later.

"You look lovely, Lady Odette," Edward said, as she stepped out of her room. He wasn't lying - she _was_ stunning. Her hair was kept a natural sort of curly, and she was wearing a pretty black kneelength dress. What really stood out were her eyes, though. They were a deep blue, and always had a twinkle in them, like she knew something you didn't.

After walking together awkwardly for a couple minutes, Odette broke the silence.

"Okay, listen Edward - can I call you Edward?" She said, and Edward nodded. "We need to talk about the elephant in the room."

"And whatever would that be?" Edward asked.

"You and I. Us. To be perfectly frank, we have no future together."

Edward smiled at her bluntness. Secretly, he agreed, but he still asked, "How would you know that? This is only our second date."

"Please," Odette said, rolling her eyes. "You've been on dates with all the other girls. Most of them you've only gone on one date with, and yet, you already know you _could_ have feelings for them. Am I right?"

Edward nodded, as names and faces and first dates swirled through his head.

"With this knowledge in mind, I am prepared to offer you a deal."

"A deal?" Edward said, almost laughing. He could tell she was a lawyer. "What sort of deal?"

"It's simple. Keep me here, and I'll be your friend. You already have so many girls to keep straight, so surely you'd want someone on the inside, telling you what they're really like, and what they think of you."

"And what would you get out of this deal?" Edward asked, already mulling the idea over in his mind.

"I'd get to stay here," Odette shrugged. "The food is great, I get as many clothes as I want, and when The Selection is over, I emerge with status and prestige, and return to a promising political career."

"I'd like a friend. You've got yourself a deal," Edward laughed. "So, what can you tell me about the other girls?"

"Well, Stella only wants the status that comes with being queen, Juliet thinks you're nice, but the age difference between the two of you worries her, and Ailsa cares for you very, very deeply," Odette said.

"She does?" Edward said in surprise. "What about the other girls? Like, Lisette?"

"She's ambitious, I'll give her that," Odette said grimly. "She's after the crown, no doubt about it. But she's after the man, too. She came in the competition with the intent to win, and if she has to get your heart in the process, then that's what she's going to do."

As soon as Edward left the room for his date with Odette, Elliot sprung out of his seat.

"C'mon, Pippa, let's go," Elliot said, tugging at her arm.

"Why," Pippa whined. "Dinner doesn't start for another two and a half hours."

"Because," Elliot said. "You and I are going on a 'tour de palace.'"

"I've been here before, you know that right?" Pippa teased. "I'm pretty sure I know my around."

"Ah, but you don't know your way around like I do. Come with me, and you'll get the full Illean palace experience."

Pippa ignored him.

"There will be secret passages."

Pippa continued looking at her book.

"We'll see hidden rooms."

She raised one eyebrow, but continued to look at the book.

"There will be donuts at the end."

Pippa sighed, and set down her book. "Alright, alright, I'll do it."

"C'mon!" Elliot said, practically jumping up in the air. "I have so much to show you."

Ten minutes later, Pippa and Elliot found themselves wedged together in a secret passage, in total darkness.

"Wow, what a great tour," Pippa said sarcastically. "I'm seeing _so much_ of the palace right now."

"Shut up Pippa," Elliot grumbled, fumbling his way around in the dark. "I'm trying to find the switch."

"I thought no one knew the castle like you do," Pippa teased.

"And no one does. I think I found the knob."

"That's my hand, doofus."

"Oops."

"Well, I'll just have to get comfy, I suppose," Pippa said, leaning back against the wall. When she touched it, however, the wall moved, and opened up to a great staircase.

"There you go, Pippa," Elliot said, and began to go up the staircase. "Now follow me."

Pippa did just that. Up they went, on the winding, rickety staircase. The further they went, the more Pippa cursed herself for wearing heels. The staircase began to get steeper, and she tripped.

"Careful, Pippa!" Elliot said, grabbing her hand with his, and helping her steady herself. Pippa could feel her face heat up, and was suddenly very thankful for the dark. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, letting go of his hand and gripping the rail even tighter.

"It's not far now," Elliot promised, and so together they went. Up and up the staircase, until -

"Wow," Pippa said when they reached the top. "It's stunning."

The staircase reached the roof, and they had an absolutely magnificent view of the city. Up on that roof, it was just the two of them, overlooking the world.

They stayed there like that for a little while, just looking out at the city in silence, until off in the distance, they heard the bell chiming the hour.

"Dinner's in half an hour," Elliot said."We'd better go."

"But," Pippa said, unable to keep her eyes off the view.

"I'll take you back another time," Elliot said, with a smile. "But for now, we have to go. Come on, I'll take you down a different passage than the one we came up."

Pippa nodded, and followed him down the passageway. Suddenly, she realized something. "Hey! I was promised donuts."

"Oh, uh, well," Elliot said. "Let's worry about finding our way out of here for now."

"Do you not know where this knob is either?" Pippa asked.

"Maybe."

Pippa rolled her eyes. "Last time I go on a tour with you again."

"I think I found it!" Elliot said excitedly.

"Are you sure it's not my hand this time?"

"Ha ha. Now help me push."

Together, they pushed on the wall, until all of a sudden, it gave way, and they tumbled out on top of each other.

Pippa and Elliot landed in a heap on the kitchen floor, to the dismay of the chefs. As they dusted themselves off, a waiter walked by with a tray of pastries.

"Hey look, Pippa. You might get your donuts after all!"

Tessa Estrella Montin walked back to the Women's room alone. She had just finished her date with Prince Edward, and now it was time to go face the other girls.

She could care less about the other girls, to be honest. She had no time from friendships, and the other girls just distracted her from her goal - the crown.

Her date with Prince Edward had been - nice. They had talked a little bit about her movies, and he had been nothing but perfectly lovely. However, she could already feel herself beginning to get bored with him. However, the boy wasn't what she was after. No, Tessa Estrella Montin knew what she wanted, and what she wanted she always got.

If she had wanted a boy, she could have had plenty to choose from. Back home, she was an actress, and had masses of boys falling at her feet. Everyone wanted to touch her, know her, say they had kissed the lips of none other than Tessa Estrella Montin.

None of those boys had ever held her attention for long, though. Sure, they were good for a date, or a night, but she didn't have feelings for any of them. She hadn't had feelings for any guy, really - not since Dave.

But Dave was long gone, and so were her feelings for him. She had tried a couple of serious boyfriends after him, and both had ended badly. So for now, she'd stick to her one night stands, thank you very much.

It occurred to Tessa that if she were to win, she'd have to marry the Prince, which was practically the definition of a serious and committed relationship. She pushed that unpleasant thought out of her brain. She was here for one thing, and one thing only - to become queen.

As Tessa entered the room, all the girls flocked around her, desperate to know the details of her date with the prince. Tessa smiled, basking in the attention. Soon, enough, it was all gone, and she found herself sitting next to Stella and Lisette, her 'friends.' As Lisette babbled about how much the Prince loved her, and Stella listened intently, Tessa found herself getting increasingly annoyed. Why was she so upset that they weren't listening to her? They weren't really even her friends after all.

And then it hit her. She wasn't interested in the crown because she wanted the power. She was here because she wanted the _attention_.

"No one cares, Lisette!" Tessa burst out, tired of the incessant babbling. The room fell quiet. "You have no chance with the Prince. He's not interested in you."

"Oh really?" Lisette said, with fake smile plastered across her face. "I'd suppose you know this, how? Is it because you know so much about relationships?"

Tessa felt her blood go cold.

"Hmm, let's see, your last serious boyfriend was when you were fifteen, right?" Lisette continued. "Paul, wasn't it? Oh, that's right. He's the one that cheated on you with your best friend."

Tessa felt something inside of her snap, and before she knew it, Lisette was on the floor in front of her, nursing the spot where she had been hit.

The next few hours were a blur for Tessa. Before she knew it, her stuff was all pack up, and she was on a plane back to her home town. As she sat there, she couldn't help but smile. The press would have a field day, and she would become known as the girl punched another one of the selected. Attention was what she wanted, and attention was what she would get, because she was Tessa Estrella Montin, and she _always_ got what she wanted.

**Hey lovelies!**

**I'm so sorry that it's been this long. Long story short, June turned out to be a very busy month for me, and that coupled with our WiFi going out for a little while means I can't write or update.**

**But I'm back! I'm hoping to update more often, because I'm very, very excited for some things that come later on in this story. **

**Today's QOTD is **_**Who do you want to see more of?**_ **I've got the Elite figured out, but as I plan how to get there, I'll take your opinions into account when planning the dates before the elimination.**

**What'd you guys think of this chapter? How did you like Odette and Tessa? Is there anything you'd like to see more of? Drop me a review and let me know!**

**-Maggie**

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**Leopardsplash - I'm glad you liked the twist - I thought it showed an interesting side of the prince too! As for Ailsa, I think you're reading too much into that. Ailsa's pretty devoted to Edward, at this point in the book. And thank you for pointing out those errors! I try to proofread, but I'm only human :) **

**LadyMargaux - Thank you! I'm glad to know you liked it :) And thanks for catching those mistakes - I'll try to get them next time. **

Canadaorbust** \- Thank you so much!**

**Perksofbeingminho - Thank you very much! Again, you're reading too much into it. Ailsa doesn't have a thing with a guard, although it would make an interesting twist ;) And as for Pippa, well, you'll find that out later!**

**OmgitsAfangirl (guest) - Thank you! I'm glad it helped :)**

**Monkeys4ever001 - Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it :)**

**4Love4Love4 - Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! And I'm glad you're happy about Jamie - I like her quite a bit too. **

**Alia Sharma - It's on my profile!**

**Emily1515 - Thank you so much! And you will learn what happened to her, later in the story :)**


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Listen up girls, this is important stuff!" Marisole said sternly, rapping her roll of papers on the desk. Loraine jumped and straightened herself out, determined not to doze off again. The problem wasn't Marisole. Loraine liked her quite a bit. The reason she was having such a hard time focusing was the subject - _etiquette_.

To be perfectly frank, Lorri thought that it was pretty pointless. She was a soldier, not a princess. Her senses were hardwired for dodging bullets and saving lives. The fact that she was sitting, being told that what fork she used during which course was the most important thing in her life seemed a little shallow.

"These lessons don't seem to be working," Marisole sighed. "So, in order to drive home the importance of etiquette, the Princess will be speaking to you."

Princess Pippa stood up from where she had been quietly sitting, and walked to the front of the room.

"If you win the Selection," Pippa began, and all around Loriane, girls began to sit up straighter. "You will be Edward's wife, that much is true. However, to the public, you first and foremost will be a princess, and later the queen. As the queen, You will not have as much power as Edward. He is the heir, and the king, and therefore will be in charge of all the political decisions, financial decisions, and ultimately, the fate of Illea."

"However," she continued. "As queen, you will have a certain type of power that the King does not have as much of. You will have _influence_. People will be copying what you wear, how you look, making decisions based on what you do. With this kind of influence, though, you will also be under constant public scrutiny. You must carry yourself with grace, and act accordingly in social situations. Luckily, there is a set of guidelines for how to do this. Etiquette."

Loriane groaned internally. Of course this would happen.

"Without etiquette," Pippa said, tapping the word on the board, "You will lose your social status. If you cannot say the right things, and act appropriately, people will begin to look down on you. You will lose your influence, and with that, you will also lose your true power. That, ladies, is the importance of etiquette."

Loraine sighed. She had never been more certain that she wasn't cut out to win the Selection - how would the people act if their queen ran after thieves and tackled them to the ground, rather than staying safe and letting the guards do the work?

"In a couple days, various royals will be coming to Illea to a party that we will be hosting, along with several influential Illean politicians. There will be cameras at the event, so this is your chance to win over the public and prove to them that you are capable of being a princess," Pippa warned. "I will need some girls to help me plan the event, so if you want to learn a thing or two about royal parties, and have a chance to stand out, please see me afterwards."

Girls swarmed around Pippa, eager for a chance to pull ahead in the competition. Loriane, however, just slunk into her seat. If she wanted to move forward in the competition, she was going to have to be more than a soldier - she was going to have to be a lady.

"Those ones, I think," Ailsa directed to the butler holding various flower arrangements. "However, could we get more than one arrangement, and put different ones on different tables? Just so it doesn't get too repetitive."

"An excellent idea," the butler said. "Shall I bring more arrangements for you to look at?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful, thank you," Ailsa said. Pippa walked by, nodding approvingly, as she went on her way to help Juliet, who was having trouble deciding between plates.

She had been on her feet all day, but Ailsa couldn't have been happier. This was the kind of environment she thrived in. She was very grateful to have the chance to help plan a royal party, but she was also very grateful that she didn't have to do it herself. Lisette had been working on food, Juliet had been picking place settings, and Saffron and Olivia had been looking at decorations. Jamie had been picking out music, Odette (who had a surprisingly vast knowledge of international politics) had been working on a seating arrangement, and Princess Pippa and Queen Lorianne had been buzzing about, overseeing the girls and gently pointing them in the right direction.

Just then, she felt a tap on the shoulder. She spun around, to find Prince Edward grinning at her.

"Edward!" she exclaimed. "I didn't see you there!"

"I know you're busy and all," Edward said, "But do you think Pippa and my mother would be terribly upset if I stole you away for a date?"

Ailsa felt her stomach flutter. "I just have one more flower arrangement to pick, but then I should be done. How about I meet you at four?'

"Perfect," he said. "I'll look forward to it." Edward gave a slight bow, and then left.

Ailsa waited for the butlers to bring flower arrangement after flower arrangement. At long last, she found one that was suitable, and rushed upstairs to slip into a date dress and freshen up her make-up. Precisely at four, she found Edward waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. She slipped her arm into his, and they began walking.

"So, where are we going today?" she asked.

"I thought we'd just take a walk in the gardens," he said. "You know, it's weird. I feel like I've known you forever, and yet, I still don't know much about you."

"Well, you sort of have known me forever," Ailsa pointed out, and Edward rolled his eyes. "But you do have a point. What do you want to know?"

"Well, what's your favorite color?"

"Favorite color? You're trying to find a wife, and that's the question you ask?" Ailsa teased.

"Well, you can tell a lot about a person by their favorite color," Edward played along.

"Mine is pink."

"Pink? Like, hot pink?"

"No, a much paler pink. Light pink, like the shade of light pink roses."

"I'll remember that," he said with a smile, and Ailsa blushed.

"What about you? What's your favorite color?"

"Blue. Not blue like the sky, but a dark blue - midnight blue."

"I see," Ailsa said, and they fell into a comfortable silence.

"What was your childhood like?" Edward asked. "I mean, I know you came to the palace and everything, but that's about all I know."

"My childhood was very comfortable," Ailsa said. "My father was - is - a politician in Denbeigh, so we were always one of the wealthier families. I was tutored during the week, and went to the palace on the weekends. As I got older, I grew to have my own social circle, and helped my parents host exclusive events. It was every girl's dream."

"But?"

"Who says there has to be a but?"

"I'm getting the feeling that there's a but."

"My father," she admitted, "Is a very loving man, and has only ever wanted what he thought was best for me. However, he is very strict. As a two, I'm supposed to be able to be a singer, or an actress, or a model, or the suchlike. However, ever since I was young, it's always been assumed that I'd marry a politician and become a socialite."

"And that's not what you want to do?"

"I've never thought about it, to be honest. I do like hosting parties, and being social," she said with a laugh, "but the fact that it was always just _assumed_ that that's what I would do bug me. Like, I had no choice in the matter."

"Well, if you ever decide that you want to go pursue being an actress, or model, or whatever, and that you have no interest in marrying a Prince, please let me know. I don't want to keep you here against your will," Edward said seriously.

"I really appreciate it," Ailsa said, ducking her head, "But I'd like to stay a while longer, if that's alright with you."

Edward paused briefly to consider this, and then kissed her on the cheek. "I have to go now, there's a meeting I really must be at, but I will see you soon. It was lovely talking to you, Ailsa."

As he left, Ailsa felt the spot where he had kissed her, which still tingled from his touch. Maybe marrying a politician - or prince, for that matter - wasn't such a bad idea after all.

The next day, Edward buzzed around the party, trying to divide his attention between everyone. The girls had done a lovely job with the party, they really had. It looked lovely, and there was a very cheerful atmosphere to it all.

"The decorations look absolutely lovely, ladies," Edward said, approaching Saffron and Olivia. "The two of you did a marvelous job."

"Thank you, your highness," they chorused, and Edward smiled. A photographer snapped a picture of the three of the them, and Edward was certain that would be in the magazines tomorrow.

The musicians started up the music, and Edward found who he was looking for. Ailsa was wearing a silvery beaded dress, and with her hair done up and a glass of champagne in her hand, she looked like the absolute picture of sophistication.

"You look lovely," he said approaching her.

"Thank you," she said, with a small smile.

"I'm sorry that our date had to end so soon, but, duty calls. I'd like to make it up to you, though. Would you care to dance?" he asked.

"Of course," she said, putting her glass down, and together, they went out to the dance floor, and began the dancing."

Pippa laughed as Elliot spun her, a little bit too enthusiastically perhaps. The party was going splendidly, and she couldn't help but be happy. It was nice to see all her royal friends again, and the Selected girls seemed to be doing well.

As she and Elliot danced, she surveyed the room. Edward had begun the dancing with Ailsa, and they looked marvelous. Princess Maria of Italy was dancing with Prince Malcolm, and they were staring at each other adoringly. Pippa was thankful that Maria had come to the party - not only was she happy to see one of her best friends, but if she hadn't been here with Malcolm, Elliot might have thrown a fit. Several of the Selected were dancing with the guards, Odette was dancing with Prince Anton of Italy, and Lisette had somehow managed to weasel her way into the arms of Prince Anthony of Swendway, who looking quite put out, but was too much of a gentleman to tell her know. Pippa let out a laugh at the sight of his face.

"What's so funny?" Elliot asked.

"Nothing," she said. "Just, life is good right now, you know?"

As Margaux stood there, with a glass of champagne in her hand, she couldn't have felt more out of place.

Sure, her maids had made her a beautiful dark blue dress, with expensive lace running down the arms, and her hair had been curled to perfection. WIth a glass of champagne in her hand, and lipstick that could kill a man, she certainly looked the part.

But that didn't mean she felt it.

She was an eight, for crying out loud. She had spent the last three years of her life on the streets, scavenging for food and sleeping where she could. They could dress her up all they wanted, and pretend she was a lady, but those last last three years of her life would always be part of her, and that was something they could never change.

Somehow, that evening, Odette found herself talking politics to the Queens of Italy and France.

"It's all about persuasion," they would tell her, and resume talking about the relations between countries, like it was common gossip.

Through careful listening, Odette learned many things about countries she had never visited. According to the Queen of France, Swendway and Russia had been on slightly rocky terms for a while now, but all that should be fixed with the soon-to-be engagement of Prince Anthony and Princess Helene. Greece's economy hadn't been faring well lately, and the King and Queen were hoping that Crown Princess Carmen, although only fourteen, would marry a prince from a wealthier country, rather than a man from her own. And New Asia, well, they technically had no proof that New Asia had broken any agreements, but they were fairly certain New Asia and Australia had broken the 'No private negotiations' rule, and if they had, that was almost enough to start another war.

_International politics is fascinating_, thought Odette. She thought that being a lawyer was her life's ambition, but now, she wasn't so sure. It would seem that there was a whole world of politics that she had yet to explore.

Anise smiled warmly at the girls around her. The dancing was long over now, the photographers were gone, and it was nearing midnight. At some point around eleven, she and some of the other girls had found themselves sitting and talking and laughing, just like friends.

There was such an interesting bunch of girls, too. Juliet was sitting next to her, and had slumped over onto Brynn. Emmeline and Theresa were there, too, and so were Heather and Jamie. Somehow, Princess Astrid and Princess Marie had found their way into the circle, too, and were talking to the girls like they were just one of them.

Anise couldn't believe how lucky she was. Here she was, a five, sitting with two's and three's and princesses. Here, she wasn't judged for her caste, and was treated like an equal. Here, she had friends.

**Hello loves!**

**How did you like this chapter? Did you like how many different girls it followed? What did you think of Edward and Ailsa? Please let me know! I appreciate every single review I get! I really do try to take your opinions into consideration, and if people want to see more of a character, I usually try to write them in more. So, if you have any ideas for how this story should go, please do not hesitate to drop me a review and let me know!**

**Today's QOTD is a little weird, I know, but it's something I need for later parts of the story. The 'question' is, **_**Tell me, in order, your top 5 of the Selected.**_ **You can include your own character if you want, and if you're unsure of some of the names, I've included a list in my author's note.**

**Thank you!**

**-Maggie**

**THE SELECTED**

**Brynn Anderson**

**Emmeline Thisbe "Emmy" O'Malley**

**Theresa Hillman**

**Anise Hanna Gruene**

**Olivia Roseanne Edwards**

**Margaux Sofia Bautista**

**Lisette Gielen**

**Stella Pritchard**

**Odette Pevion**

**Ailsa Bloomsburg**

**Juliet Calla Skyes**

**Lydia Alexandria Roads**

**Saffron Harper Bradley**

**Loraine Foster **

**Heather Madison **

**Britta Albertson **

**Mavis Atwood `**

**Jamie Ainsley Hunter**

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**Max merica - Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the Pipliot scenes - I squeal a little bit too. And I think you should be happy with the upcoming chapters. I plan to feature Margaux and Loraine a little bit more, because they're both such interesting characters!**

**THEselectionIsLIFE - Thank you so much! Also, thank you for favoriting and followng!**

**Guest - I really appreciate you taking the time to the make a character and submit it, however, the SYOC has been closed for quite some time! I can maybe make your character a friend of Pippa's from back home, if you'd like!**


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Juliet smiled, leaning her head back on Brynn's knees as her hair was being braided. Around her, girls lounged lazily about the Women's room, reading books, or sewing, or chatting with their friends. The Queen and Prince Edward had been called into a meeting with their advisors which was scheduled to take all afternoon, Princess Pippa was out representing the British Monarchy at some politician's party, and as far as Juliet could tell, wherever Pippa went, Prince Elliot went with her, so it was just the girls in the Women's room for the afternoon.

"Hey, check it out!" Emmy O'Malley said, looking up from the magazine she was reading. "We're in here!"

The girls gathered around her, buzzing with excitement.

"Oh look, they've got the pictures from the party a couple days ago!" Britta exclaimed.

"Yeah, look! There's Olivia and Saffron with the Prince!" Jamie said. Saffron smiled, while Olivia just blushed.

"Oh, look, there's an article about us!" Saffron said.

Lydia grabbed the magazine, and began reading the article out loud. "The Selected Girls - You Voted, Now Here's Illea's Top Seven."

The room fell into a hushed silence, and she continued. "In our number one spot, it's Lady Ailsa Bloomsburg taking the lead. She stunned the crowds last night in an absolutely lovely silver beaded gown, and looked divine leading off the dancing with Prince Edward. It's no wonder she's captivated the hearts of Illea - and hopefully the heart of the prince."

Ailsa blushed, while Lisette stared at her jealously.

"Taking the second place is the beautiful Lady Brynn Anderson. The softball player showed off her toned arms in a one-shouldered, red dress. It's no surprise that this already-popular athlete is popular in the Selection too!"

Brynn just smiled, and shrugged it off.

"Next up, in third place is the lovely Lady Odette Pevion! This lawyer-in-training stunned in a teal dress with a low back. Her bluntness and humor, including her willingness to question the reporters who are questioning her make her a crowd favorite. If her law career doesn't work out, we're hoping Lady Odette will consider taking up comedy as a career."

"Coming in fourth place is Lady Juliet Calla Skyes. The youngest member of the Selection looked lovely in a strapless light blue dress. She may be only sixteen, but Lady Juliet has managed to wow Illea and the Prince with how down-to-earth and genuinely sweet she is."

Juliet felt herself blushing furiously. Somehow, she had managed to make her way onto to the list. She was only sixteen, and yet she had managed to beat Lisette!

"Next up in fourth place is Lady Anise Gruene! This former five looked very elegant in a lacy dark gray gown. Between her sweetness and the way she carries herself, it's no wonder Lady Anise is one of Illea's top choices for their next queen."

"In sixth place is Lady Jamie Ainsley Hunter! She looked stunning in a deep red dress and loose curls, but what really stood out was her infectious smile. This multi-talented musician brings out the best in everyone around her, and we're not surprised that she's been included on the list."

"Ending the list in seventh place is Lady Margaux Sofia Bautista. She wore a dark blue gown, with perfectly curled hair, and with the way she looked, we would have guessed she was a two, rather than an eight. It seems that Lady Margaux's rags-to-riches story has sparked the interest of Illean's everywhere."

Everyone stood there in stunned silence, until Margaux, with a confused expression on her face, broke it.

"Why am I on that list? I'm an eight."

"Isn't it obvious?" Lisette said, and everyone turned to face her. "The people love an underdog. They like to vote for someone who has _absolutely no chance_." She spat those last words out at Margaux.

"Oh shove off, Lisette," Brynn said. "You're just upset you didn't make the list."

"I may not have made the list, but that's irrelevant. What matters isn't who is on top in the beginning, what matters is who is on top in the end," Lisette said, with a hair flip. "And trust me when I say, when this is over, I _will_ be on top."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Theresa wove her way into her room, avoiding all the people around her. Girls stood in the doorways, yelling to the others. Maids rushed back and forth, carrying dresses and ribbons and shoes. After narrowly missing being hit on the head with a necklace, she made it to her room.

"There you are!" Jayne, her maid said. "I was just about to find you! Tonight is very important!"

Tonight was the report, Theresa remembered, and at their last lesson, Marisole had all but promised that they would all be interviewed. Rumor had it that this was some kind of test, orchestrated by the Queen and the Prince to weed out those who couldn't speak well in front of a camera. If this was a test, then Theresa was determined to pass.

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Stella oohed as her maids brought out her dress for the report. It was a deep orange, with off the shoulder sleeves and a deep v neckline.

"Well, do you like it miss?" her maid asked anxiously.

"Like it? I love it!" she clapped her hands together gleefully. "I am going to look so hot!"

"Alright, let's get started on your make-up then," the maid said, looking relieved.

"Okay, straighten my hair, and touch up my highlights, and I'm thinking a dark smoky eye," Stella said, and her maids got right to work. Nevermind the question part of the report tonight, she was going to completely blow everyone away with how she looked tonight. She'd stun them all, and she'd for sure make it onto the next list.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Brynn smoothed her dress out, and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress her maids had chosen was a deep blue, with a high neck and a low back. It was fairly simple in decoration, but Brynn was glad for that. Tonight wasn't so much about how she looked, as it was about how she spoke.

She stepped out of her room, and walked down to the foyer. There, she found the rest of the Selected waiting. She wandered over to where Juliet and Lydia were. Juliet looked lovely in a one-shouldered, ice blue gown, while Lydia had gone for a more daring look, wearing a plum dress with long, off the shoulder sleeves, and a high front and low back.

"You both look nice," Brynn said, complimenting them.

"So do you," Juliet said, but Brynn could tell something was off.

"Are you nervous, Juliet?" she asked.

"Is it really that obvious?"

"No," Brynn said with a smile. "You just seem a little tense."

Juliet nodded.

"Just, when you go up there, pretend like there's no one else there. When Layla asks you questions, just pretend like you're talking to me, or the prince."

Juliet nodded again.

"I'm positive you'll do fine. You will too, Lydia," Brynn said, drawing her two friends in for a hug. It was times like these, when she saw how many girls were nervous for the report, that she was thankful for all the experience she had with public speaking.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Anise settled down on the bleachers next to Theresa. Around her, girls fidgeted with their hair, and nervously smoothed out their dresses.

"Did you hear?" Theresa said to Anise, after greeting her. "We're being interviewed tonight. I've heard that it's a test, put on by the Queen and Prince Edward."

Anise felt her stomach flutter. She had been prepared to speak, yes, but she had no idea that it would be a test. Her eyes anxiously scanned the crowd. She and Prince Edward made eye contact, and he gave her a small, reassuring smile. She wanted to run over to him, and ask him if it was true, if this was really a test. Before she knew it, though, the cameraman was calling out numbers, and they were starting.

"Hello, Illea!" Layla Fadaye said, smiling into the camera. "And welcome to the Capital Report! Tonight, we've got a special treat for you. We're going to be interviewing the Selected girls!" The audience cheered. "First up, may I have Lady Anise Gruene down here?"

The butterfly's in Anise's stomach grew as she descended the bleachers, to the cheers of the audience.

"Have a seat," Layla said motioning to the chair in front of her. "Now, it would seem to me that all of you Selected recently attended a ball. Lady Anise, can you tell me what you thought of that?"

"It was lovely," Anise answered. "Absolutely lovely."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"May I see Lady Ailsa Bloomsburg?" Layla asked, after Anise was done. Ailsa walked down the bleachers, lifting her skirt carefully while smiling at the audience.

"Welcome, Lady Ailsa," Layla said, as Ailsa sat down. "I was reading a magazine the other day, and it would seem to me that you have been voted as Illea's number one favorite Selected girl. Would you care to tell me what you think of that?"

"I'm flattered, truly," Ailsa said, with a slight blush. "I had no idea the people held me in such high regard."

"Well, how could they not? You and the prince looked absolutely charming dancing together the other other night. Speaking of which, what do you think of Prince Edward?" Layla said, with a mischievous grin on her face. The audience oohed.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure about love yet. I mean, I haven't even known him a month!" Ailsa answered, and the audience laughed. "But I do know that he is sweet, and kind, and I, I like him quite a bit." Ailsa ducked her head as the audience 'ahhed', and caught Edward's eye. He smiled at her, while behind him Pippa and Elliot smirked.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Emmy O'Malley fidgeted in her seat, while Layla asked her questions. Thus far, her interview had been nothing but awkward. She didn't want to talk about the Prince. She had only been on one date with him!

"So, do you like the Prince?" Layla asked.

"Yes." Emmy said. Layla waited for more of an answer, but none came.

"What do you think of the Selection?" Layla tried.

"It's nice," Emmy answered.

It's not that Emmy was stand-offish or rude. She just thought there were bigger issues in the world than her relationship with the Prince.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Olivia smoothed out her dress, as Layla asked her questions.

"So, Lady Olivia, tell me what you think of the Prince."

"Oh, he's very nice," she said, with a shy smile. "I've really enjoyed my time with him."

"If you became Queen, what would your focus be?" Layla asked.

"I'd definitely focus on philanthropy," Olivia said. "I'd like to help the poor children across Illea."

The audience let out a sigh, and Olivia smiled shyly again.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"So, Lady Saffron, what's been your favorite part of the Selection so farl?"

Saffron smiled. This one was easy. "Well, the food obviously," she said, and the audience laughed. "Besides that, I've really enjoyed all the opportunities I've had to learn. There are so many books here, and so much information that I don't have access to back at home."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Lady Britta, can you tell me what you think of the Prince?"

Britta didn't answer. She was frozen, staring into the camera like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Lady Britta?"

"Um...yes," she squeaked out. In all honesty, she had no idea what the question was.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Up next, let's all welcome Lady Loraine!"

Loraine stood up from where she was sitting, and made her way down the bleachers. She almost tripped over the end of her skirt, but thankfully, Brynn and Odette were sitting right there, and grabbed her arms. She laughed it off, and walked over to the seat.

"Are you alright, Lady Loraine?" Layla asked, her voice full of concern.

"I'm alright, Layla," she answered. "I'm tougher than I look."

"So, Lady Loraine, what has been the hardest part of the Selection for you?"

"The dresses, definitely. And the shoes," she said, and the audience laughed. "No, I'm serious! As an officer, I'm so used to wearing pants and running shoes so I can move freely. These clothes, well, they just seem a little restricting."

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"Is it over yet?" Elliot whispered, leaning over to Pippa.

"Not yet," she said, watching Brynn's interview intently. "We're only about halfway done."

"Ugh," Elliot said, letting out a groan.

Pippa shushed him. "If we weren't on live television right now, I would smack you."

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"Lady Odette, can you tell me your favorite part of the Selection?"

Odette beamed. "Oh, that's easy. The politics of it all."

The crowd murmured. "Politics?" Layla asked. "Care to explain?"

"Of course!" she said. "You see, the Selection first and foremost is a competition. A friendly competition, of sorts, but a competition nonetheless. Girls form alliances, people vote for their favorites, I'm certain even the royal family has some girls that they'd like to win. Every move each girl makes is calculated, trying to increase their chances of winning - just like a politician."

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"Lady Jamie, welcome! Tell me, what has the Selection been like for you?"

"It's been lovely," she said. "Everyone here has been so supportive and generous. I've really enjoyed my time here."

"You're a musician, right? Do you sing at all?"

"I do."

"Would you care to sing for us tonight?"

Jamie laughed. "Maybe next time."

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"Lady Mavis, can you describe the Selection to me in one word?"

Mavis smiled. "Fun."

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Lisette flounced over to the chair, and sat next to Layla. She scooched forward on the chair, and smoothed out her dress. Today, she was going to make a splash.

"Tell me, Lady Lisette, what's your relationship like with the Prince?"

"Oh, he's absolutely darling!" Lisette gushed. "We've gotten so close over the past few weeks. I'm really feeling a connection."

"What advice would you give to a girl who was interested in a guy?"

Lisette plastered a fake smile on her face. "Always be yourself."

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"Is it close to being done now?" Elliot whispered to Pippa.

"No," she said, keeping her eyes on Heather, who was currently being interviewed. "It's not over until Layla says it is. You've lived here your whole life - you should know this by now!"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Lady Lydia, what would be your dream date with the Prince?"

"Something adventurous, for sure," Lydia said. "I'd love to go rock climbing, or maybe ziplining, but in terms of what we can do inside the palace, probably horseback riding."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"It's nice to have you Lady Margaux," Layla said, as Margaux sat down. "Now, to my understanding, you came in here as an eight. What are some of the biggest differences between the palace and your former life?"

Margaux felt her back stiffen. "Well, having a roof over my head and clothes to wear every night is nice," she said sarcastically, and the audience let out nervous giggles. "Besides that, probably the clothes. I've never had such fancy dresses, or maids to do my hair and make-up."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Edward had been watching the girls intently throughout the night, but towards the end, he began zoning out every now and again. Theresa, for some reason, caught his attention. She was very lively in her interview, and made him laugh several times. She also seemed to have many ideas about the future of Illea.

He smiled. It would seem that the next girl he took on a date had just been figured out for him.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Last, but certainly not least, please welcome Lady Juliet Calla Skyes!"

Juliet caught Brynn's eye. _You've got this_, she mouthed.

"So Lady Juliet, from what the other girls have told me, you've all been on at least one date with the Prince. Care to tell me about your first date?"

Juliet took a deep breath, remembering what Brynn had told her. "Well, my first date with him was rather interesting, Layla," Juliet said. _Just like talking to Brynn or EdwardI, _she thought. "We had a breakfast date, and I'm afraid I spilled milk all over him."

"You didn't," Layla said, in mock horror.

"I did," Juliet said. "He was a perfect gentleman about it, though. He told me not to worry about it, and even took me to the kitchen to finish our day, all while wearing a milk-covered suit."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"And, we're done!" the cameraman said, and the whole room relaxed. Edward stood up, and gather the Selected girls around him.

"I'm very proud of all of you," he said. "You all did very well up there, especially with such little warning."

The girls all mumbled thank you's, while some of them giggled.

"I'm sure you're all very tired, though, so you all may head up to your rooms. I'll see all of you at breakfast tomorrow," Edward said, and made to go upstairs.

"Wait!" Heather called out. "Who's getting eliminated?"

"Eliminated?" Edward said, turning to face them. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"We heard," Anise said, glancing at Theresa, "That this was a test that you weren't telling us about. That at the end, one of us would be going home."

"Just like the rebel attack," Edward said, as his face dawned with understanding. "Girls, I promise you that if anything else is a test with an elimination involved, I'll tell you. No one is going home to night. Okay?"

The girls chorused, "Okay," and then all left for bed. Edward sighed. He cared for all the girls, he really did, but sometimes they confused him more than budget reports.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Hey guys!**

**What did you think of this chapter? Did you like all the girls? I tried to include a little bit for all of them. I'm going to be narrowing it down to the Elite soon - not the next chapter, there's still things that need to happen, but it's not too far off now. Most of the meat of the story happens once we get to the Elite, and I really want to get to that.**

**Speaking of the Elite, today's QOTD is, **_**What ten girls do you think are going to be the Elite?**_ **I'm thinking of making this into a little game - I've got the Elite figured out, so whoever guesses closest to the actual Elite will get to pick a date/scene for their favorite character to go on. So, if you really wanted to see Odette and Edward catch a movie, and you guessed closest, I would work that into one of my chapters!**

**In the beginning part, did you guys catch the list of 'Illea's favorite girls?' I used the votes from that last chapter to make that, so it actually was everyone's favorite girls! Some of the votes surprised me - Lisette didn't make the list, but I was surprised that some people voted for her!**

**Please review and let me know what you thought!**

**-Maggie **

**This has already been a long author's note, so I'm only going to respond to reviews that asked questions. But thanks to Canadaorbust, Lady Margaux, Leopardsplash, Fairy Lori, 4Love4Love4, Skatergirl (guest), UltimateMaxmericaShipper (it's okay! I'm glad you're back!), and GoldenHeart (guest) for reviewing. Also thanks to ShippingSoHard for following and favoriting! You guys rock, and are the reason I do what I do :)**


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Elliot yawned, as the advisors droned on about budget cuts, the people, the general state of the kingdom, etc. The meeting had only been going on for half an hour, and he was already bored out of his mind.

"How do you stand these?" he whispered to Pippa, who had been listening intently.

"I have to. It's going to be my job someday," she replied, her eyes never leaving the advisor who was speaking.

Elliot sighed. Thank goodness it was Edward who was going to be King, and not him. Then Edward would be the one who had to attend these stuffy meetings.

He looked around the room, his eyes searching for the King-to-be.

"Say, where is my brother?" he asked Pippa.

"I believe that he is on a date," Pippa replied.

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Edward's horse galloped through the field, following Theresa until they caught up, and slowed down to a walk.

"That was unfair," he laughed, riding up next to her. "You had a head start."

"Nope, I won that fair and square," Theresa said, shaking her head. "I just knew the race was happening before you did."

"You yelled go after you had already begun galloping!"

Theresa shrugged. "You just need to stay on your toes, I guess."

"You ride horses, I take it?" he asked, as they rode along.

She nodded. "My family owns a farm, so I've been riding for as long as I remember. It's like a second nature to me."

Edward nodded, not entirely sure what to say next.

Theresa looked at him, and smiled mischieviously. "Come on, let's go!"

She raced off, into the woods. "Wait!" he called back. "We should stay closer to the palace! I've got a budget meeting I should be at!

"Live a little!" she called back, and galloped away. Edward sighed, and seeing as he had no other choice, followed.

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"A date?" Elliot said, a little too loudly. The advisor to his left shushed him. "Why is my brother on a date?" he whispered.

"Well, there's this thing called the Selection. It's been going on for the past few months, maybe you've heard of it," Pippa whispered sarcastically.

"Ha ha. I meant, why is he on a date and not here?

"I don't know," Pippa admitted, with a worried look on her face. "It's not like him to miss a meeting."

Elliot zoned out again, his mind wandering to possibilities where Edward was the one in the meetings, and he was the one on a date, maybe with Pippa, preferably -

"Well, trading things abroad would be far easier if we had an alliance with England!" an advisor yelled, and Elliot was jerked out of his little fantasy. Suddenly, all eyes were on him and Pippa.

"Yes, things would be far easier if we had an alliance with England."

"We should have one already - the princess is staying at our palace."

"Maybe if she wants to stay longer, she should have to sign an alliance."

"Enough," Pippa said, ending the chattering. "You all know as well as I do that I am not able to agree to that."

"But Princess -"

"Surely you could -"

"You have to -"

"I said enough," Pippa said, standing up. The room went silent. "Yes, I am the Princess of England, and yes, I am next in line for the throne, however, I am not queen yet. Until I ascend the throne, if you want an alliance, you must appeal to my father. Is that clear?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Wow," Edward whispered, as he trotted up to Theresa.

"This is lovely," she said, and Edward nodded. They had stopped in a little clearing in the woods, and it was absolutely gorgeous. The birds were singing, there was a small stream running, and the light streaming out from a clearing in the top of trees was like something out of a fairytale.

"Let's stay a while," Theresa said, slipping off of her horse. "Let's just talked."

Edward nodded, all thoughts of budget meetings and his future kingship having slipped out of his mind. "I'd like that," he said. "I would like that a lot."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Elliot and Pippa stayed behind a moment, as all the advisors filed out of the room. She sat there calmly, although Elliot could tell something was wrong.

"Hey," he said. "Want to go do something fun with me?"

"Such as?" she said doubtfully.

"We could go to the kitchens. Our pastry chef makes a mean eclair."

Pippa's eyes lit up. "I could be easily persuaded."

"Come on then, let's go," he said. Elliot grabbed Pippa's hand, and together they ran to the kitchen's. They slid onto stools by a table in the corner, and one of the chef's came up to greet them.

"Hello your highnesses, what can I do for you?" he said, giving a slight bow.

"Hello, Chef Louis," Elliot said. "We need pastries. Lots, and lots, of pastries."

"Was the budget meeting bad?" Chef Louis said, sympathetically.

"Worse than usual."

"Oh dear," the chef said. "I'll be back with pastries in just a moment."

He left, leaving the two young royals to themselves.

"So," Elliot said, turning to face Pippa. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," she insisted, not quite meeting his eye.

"Yes there is. I know you well enough to know when something's wrong, so spill," Elliot demanded.

"It's just, the advisors. They're all there, demanding that I make an alliance with Illea, and not understanding when I can't."

"So what? Don't listen to them. They're just old, dumb advisors who I'm fairly certain Edward is going to be replacing as soon as he ascends the throne."

"It's not them, I know how to deal with old, stubborn advisors," Pippa sighed. "It's just, the reminder, I suppose. All my life, I've been told that I'm going to be queen, that it's going to be my responsibility to make the decisions for the country. I put in all this work, though, and I can't do anything yet. I may be told I can change the world, but I can't even sign an alliance between two friendly countries. I suppose it's just a reminder of how powerless I still am."

"Hey," Elliot said, grabbing her hand. "Don't say that. You are next in line to inherit one of the world's richest countries, you are here in Illea, strengthening your relations with a foreign country, and you can do it all without breaking a nail. You are literally the most powerful teenager in the world, and you are more powerful than any of those dumb old advisors will ever be."

"Thanks Elliot," she said with a laugh. Chef Louis set a platter of pastries in front of them. "Ooh, food!"

Elliot and Pippa both grabbed some pastries, and dug in. They sat there happily, munching on their eclairs, until Elliot remembered something that was bugging him.

"Why don't England and Illea have an alliance?"

Pippa sighed. "Officially, there's no reason. They just don't. In reality, well, look at the situation. Britain is very well off financially, and we have a good military. There's no war going on, and our people are content. Honestly," she said, "Right now, we wouldn't gain anything through an alliance."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"This was nice," Edward said, as he and Theresa walked through to the castle. The stars were out now, and they had been in the clearing for hours. "I really enjoyed talking to you."

"I really liked it, too," Theresa said, as they approached her room. "Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, Theresa," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Edward walked back upstairs, to the third floor, where he found his mother waiting for him.

"Hello, mother," he said cheerfully, nodding his head to her in acknowledgement.

"Hello, Edward," she said. "Did you enjoy your time with Lady Theresa?"

"Oh, yes, we had a wonderful time. We talked all afternoon -" he stopped suddenly, and his face fell. "I forgot to come to the budget meeting, didn't I?

His mother nodded.

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I promise, it won't happen again."

"I'm sure," she said. "I know you're having fun with all the girls, but don't forget about your other duties as well."

"I won't," he promised.

"That's all I needed to hear," she said. "Speaking of the girls, the advisors and I have been talking. We think it's time for you to narrow it down to the Elite."

"Already?" he said confused.

"Not quite yet," she said. "You have a couple weeks to figure it out. However, it needs to be narrowed down soon. Surely you have some idea of who you want."

Edward nodded, and stumbled back to his room. _Two weeks_, he thought. _Two weeks to pick ten girls, and hope one of them is the woman who is meant to be my wife._

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Hey guys!**

**What'd you think of this chapter? It's a little shorter than usual, I know, but I'm currently packing to go on vacation, so I've been writing this on the fly. I had a couple requests for more Pipliot, so what'd you guys think of those scenes? Also, how'd you like Theresa? I know she hasn't been featured much in the story, so I wanted to do more with her this chapter.**

**All of your guesses for the Elite were absolutely fantastic! Many of you came very, very close. The girls that people guessed that didn't make it into the Elite were the ones that I was upset about cutting, so I'm glad we're all thinking on the same page. If you haven't submitted your guess for the Elite yet, feel free to do so!**

**Today's QOTD is **_**What have you guys been up to this summer?**_ **I know my questions normally relate to the story, but you guys are all fantastic, and I'd like to know if you're all doing okay :)**

**Special thanks to Leopardsplash (I really appreciate your feedback!), Perksofbeingminho (I'm glad you liked it!), Skatergirl (guest) (thank you!), UltimateMaxmericaShipper (thank you! that's exactly what was going through my mind as I wrote it!), Roses323 (thank you! i'll try to work that in somewhere!), 4Love4Love4 (i'm so glad that made you happy!) and Canadaorbust (that's so cool!) for reviewing! Also thanks to Roses323 for favoriting and following! You guys make my day! I'm sorry for answering reviews like this, but I'm really short on time. We'll get back to our normal way next chapter!**

**Liked this chapter? Have any ideas on what I should include in the future? Please drop me a review and let me know!**

**-Maggie**


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Pippa, are you in there?" Edward said, knocking on the door to her room. "I need to talk to you."

"Just one minute!" Pippa called back. Edward sighed, and leaned back against the door. Knowing Pippa, one minute was more likely to be ten minutes. Although she was next in line for the throne of one of the richest countries in the world, and had many admirable qualities, getting ready quickly was not one of them.

To his surprise, the door opened about a minute later, and Edward fell to the ground.

"Edward?" Pippa said, looking at him in confusion. "Was there something you needed?"

"Yes, actually," he said, standing up and dusting himself off. "I need your help with the Elite."

"Ooh! Come in and sit down," Pippa said, ushering him to a sitting area in her room. "I've already got ideas of who you should include, and what qualities each girl can offer, and -"

"No, it's not that," Edward said cutting her off. "I don't need your help with the girls."

"Oh," Pippa said, looking a little crestfallen. "Then what do you need my help with?"

"How I should announce the Elite," Edward said, and Pippa's eyes lit up again.

"Did you have any ideas?" she asked.

"Well, I was hoping to do something big, like a ball perhaps. I figured, that since you have experience planning those -"

"I've planned a fair few, yes," Pippa said dryly.

" - I figured that I'd ask you," Edward finished.

"Well, if you were hoping to have a ball, Halloween is just around the corner. We could host it then," Pippa suggested. "Ooh! And it could be a masquerade ball! Everyone could wear masks, and people could dress up, since it would be Halloween!"

"That's actually not a bad idea," Edward said, mulling it over in his brain. "So you'll work with Marisole and my mother, and plan this for me?"

"Of course!" Pippa said, her eyes shining as she envisioned the ball. "Now tell me, how do you feel about gold tipped plates?"

"They sound lovely, but unfortunately, I've got to run," Edward said, standing up. "I've got a date in ten minutes, and I don't want to be late."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Here we go," Edward said, as he lead Olivia out to the garden. "I thought we'd have a picnic. Something simple, so I could get to know you better."

"It's wonderful," Olivia said shyly, as they both sat down. A blue checkered tablecloth had been laid out on the ground for them, and crystal goblets and plates had been set out for them to eat their food off of.

"So," Edward said, after munching on a tiny sandwich. "Tell me a little bit about yourself."

"Well, I'm a five," Olivia said. "And I'm a singer. I have been, ever since I was young."

"What else do you like to do?" Edward said gently.

"I read and write sometimes. I also play the trumpet and violin."

Edward thought back to her interview, trying to think of something to make her more comfortable. "In your interview, you mentioned that as queen, you'd focus on philanthropy. Can you tell me a little more about that?"

Olivia's eyes lit up. "I'd like to help poor children throughout Illea. I've always loved helping people, and there are so many children who need help. There are many that are starving, others that don't have enough clothes, still others that have been orphaned. If I just had enough money, then I could so something about it."

"What would you do to help them, if you had the money?" Edward asked, intrigued.

"Oh, so much. I'd like to open up better, cleaner homes for orphaned children. I also want to start clothing centers, ones where richer families can donate the clothes their children have outgrown, and poorer families can take them free of charge. I think there should be a food distribution program, where families with lower income levels can be given free food every so often, so that way their children would never have to be hungry…"

As she talked, Edward listened intently. Although she had seemed shy at first, once he got her talking, it seemed that she had lots of ideas about how to make this country better, and most of them, with a little bit of hard work, could actually be implemented. She was pretty, too, with her big blue eyes, and dirty blonde hair. Before he knew it, their time together was up.

"I hate to cut you short, but I'm afraid our time has run out," Edward said, offering her his hand to help her up. "I had a wonderful time with you. Your ideas were outstanding, and I'd like to get back to you on some of them soon."

"Really?" Olivia said, smiling. "I would love that."

"Until next time, then," Edward kissing her hand, and she giggled. "I'll look forward to talking with you again."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Alright team, let's get to work," Pippa said, clasping her hands. "We have to decide on a guest list, mail the invitations, pick out decorations, a menu, place settings, etc, and we have to do it all in a week and a half. Right now, we need to decide on a guest list, address the invitations, and get them in the envelopes. Any questions?"

"Uh, yes," Elliot said, raising his hand. "How can we have a team if I'm the only other person here?"

"There will be a team later, but your mother is at an important meeting, and Marisole is training the Selected girls, so for today it's just you and I," Pippa answered. "Anything else?"

Elliot raised his hand again. "How are we supposed to get all that done today, if it's just the two of us?"

"We're not," Pippa admitted. "You and I are just making the guest list. The maids will take care of the invitations after we're done." She settled down next to him, and pulled out a pen and paper. "Alright, so I was thinking we could start by inviting the mayors of the provinces, and other important politicians…"

As she spoke, Elliot began to zone out. In all honesty, he could care less about this Halloween ball. All that mattered to him was the fact that he had to show up. It wouldn't be all bad though, he thought. Pippa would be wearing a dress, and she would look even lovelier than usual.

She was wearing a dress today, too, he noted. It was a deep olive green, which brought out her hazel eyes, and her light brown, almost dirty blonde hair was curled in a way that framed her face nicely. The back of her dress was lower than usual, just low enough to drive him crazy.

_Stop it_, he thought to himself. _Best friends don't think about each other this way._

"Elliot?" Pippa asked.

"Yeah?" he answered, trying to push all previous thoughts out of his brain.

"I asked you what you thought about inviting your cousins."

"Oh, yeah, um," he thought, "Sure. Invite them all."

"All of them?" Pippa said in surprise. "Even the one who declared himself no longer a part of the family?"

"All of them except for him," Elliot amended. Pippa stared at him for a moment in concern, then went back to the guest list. Elliot could feel himself zoning out again.

Pippa. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? _You aren't allowed to think about her anymore,_ he told himself. _Not her lovely skin, or her soft beautiful lips, or the way her nose crinkles up when she laughs…_

Elliot sighed internally. She was his best friend! He had known her since he was in diapers, for crying out loud! He had had seventeen years to contemplate her, so why was it that now, he couldn't keep his mind off of her?

And then it hit him.

"Elliot?" Pippa asked, bringing him back to reality. "Are you okay? You aren't looking so good."

"I'm-I'm fine," Elliot said hurrying out of his chair. "I-I just need some fresh air."

He hurried out of the room, and down the hall. _We're just best friends, and that's all_, Elliot told himself. However, he knew inside that that wasn't true. He didn't want to be just her best friend anymore.

No, he wanted much more than that, and although he hadn't admitted it until now, he had wanted more for quite sometime.

_I need to talk to Edward_, Elliot said, racing down the hall. _He'll know what to do_. He set foot down the stairs, eager to find his brother. However, with his mind already occupied with others things, he missed the first step, and tumbled down the stairs head first.

"Elliot!" he heard Pippa's voice cry out from above him, in dismay, but before he had time to respond, he passed out.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Hey guys!**

**What'd you think of this chapter? I know, there was a little bit of a cliffhanger there at the end, but I fully intend to have the next chapter up in a couple days, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long. **

**I'm sorry that it was so long between updates, but I was on vacation, and had no WiFi and very little data. However, I did get several more chapters outlined! The Halloween ball and the announcing of the Elite will take place in chapter 19, which I plan to have up before the end of the month. **

**If you haven't submitted who you think the Elite will be, and still want to, please feel free to! Remember, the winner gets to pick a scene to happen, either a Pipliot scene or a date between Edward and one of the girls! If you've already submitted, and would like to change your guess, just let me know!**

**Todays QOTD is a little weird, I know. One of my reviewers said that she couldn't see the line breaks. I had been using three little asterisks, and they showed up fine on my computer, but I couldn't see them on mobile. So today's QOTD is **_**Could you see the line breaks before? Do you like the new ones better?**_ **If everyone can see the newer ones, I'll go back and change the asterisks in the previous chapters to the "OoOoO" I used this chapter.**

**As always, please review! I love hearing from you guys!**

**-Maggie**

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**ARandomFangirler - I hadn't realized that, actually! I mean, I knew that Kate has a sister named Pippa, but I had quite drawn the connection between her and my Pippa. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Leopardsplash - Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked the date - it was a lot of fun to write :) And thanks for the feedback! It really means a lot!**

**Canadaorbust - I hope you liked this chapter :) And don't worry, you're not bugging me :)**

**Skatergirl (guest) - Thank you so much! As for Lydia, well, you should like next chapter ;)**

**Roses323 - Thank you so much! Believe me when I say, there will **_**definitely **_**be more Pipliot in the story :) I like what you're thinking thinking with the alliances, and I'm glad you liked it!**

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper - Thank you so much! I get what you're saying about the horses - I don't show horses, but one of my best friends does, and I've seen her sore and injured from her horse far to many times for my liking. Anyway, I hope you weren't hurt too badly!**

**4Love4Love4 - Thank you very much! I'm so happy you liked it!**

**SassySmarts (guest) - Aw, thank you so much! I definitely have plans to include more Pipliot, and I'd say that there is potential for more than friendship there ;) Everyone around seems to ship them (including me), so I think we'd have a riot on our hands if they stayed friends forever. Don't worry, I plan to focus more attention on them before Edward gets married, so you won't have to wait that long :)**

**ShippingSoHard - Thank you so much! That means a lot to me! And I can't reveal anything about the Elite quite yet, but I will definitely take your ideas into consideration :)**

**LadyAnj - Thanks for reviewing! I always appreciate some feedback! I thought I had been including little dividers, so I'm sorry that they haven't shown up for you! Does this new way work better?**

**EmluvsMaxerica - thank you! This means so much! I'm very excited for the Elite, too - I'm very excited for you all to see what happens, and I think you'll like it a lot :)**

**rainbowshy0000 - Thanks! I hope you liked your trip! And I'll try to include a Margaux/Edward date soon!**

**Also thanks to Pnmendoza11 for following, and to rainbowshy0000 for favoriting and following!**


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"Are you sure you're all right?" Pippa said, from where she sat next to Elliot's bed. "You had a pretty nasty fall."

"I'm fine Pippa, don't worry about me," Elliot said. "The doctor just told me to spend the day in bed. I'll be up and ready tomorrow."

"Are you positive? Is there anything you need?" Pippa fretted.

"Pippa, I'm fine. Honest," Elliot said.

"Alright," she said, settling into her chair, and taking a deep breath. _He'll be fine, _she told herself. Goodness knows that he'd been injured before, even worse than this, with all the crazy shenanigans he got up to in the palace. She hadn't been quite this worried before, so why was she so upset now?

"Let's watch a movie. I'm thinking James Bond - something from before Illea," Elliot said, sitting up. Pippa felt her breath catch. He wasn't wearing a shirt. Why didn't he have a shirt on?

"T-that sounds great," she stuttered. Pippa leaned back in her seat, and tried to focus on the movie.

"The name's Bond," Elliot quoted along with the movie. "James Bond."

Pippa glanced over at him, only to find that he had crawled out from under the covers, and, to her dismay, _still_ was not wearing a shirt.

_Get your mind out of the gutter, Pippa_, she thought to herself. She had known Elliot since they were in diapers, and had seen him with less than he had on now too many times for her to count. Sure, she'd always thought he looked nice, but today, he was driving her crazy.

_Hold it_, she thought. Why did she need to get her mind out of the gutter? The only kind of people who needed to do that were people who had _feelings_ for each other or something like that.

And then it hit her.

"Oh gosh, no," she whispered to herself. "Nope, no, this was not part of the plan. This isn't how things are supposed to end."

"Did you say something?" Elliot said, turning to look at her.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "I-I've got to go talk to Odette." And with that, she raced out of the room.

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Edward groaned, as racked his brain, trying to figure out which girl to take on a date. He had been making an effort to get to know all of them better before he narrowed it down to the Elite, and there had to be _somebody_ who hadn't had a second date yet.

He flipped through the girl's applications, glancing over them. Olivia? No, he had taken her on a date a couple days ago. Juliet? Nope, he had seen her just that morning.

He flipped to another one, and breathed a sigh of relief. _She hasn't had another date yet, _he thought to himself. He scanned the page. _Likes - horseback riding, fencing going on adventures._

_Perfect_, he thought to himself. Edward glanced at his watch. If he hurried, he could catch her as she left the girl's afternoon class with Marisole.

Edward rushed down the hall, and made it to the women's room just as girls flooded out of it.

"Lady Lydia!" he called out after her. "I need to talk to you!"

He watched as she bid Brynn and Juliet goodbye, and walked towards him, her caramel ponytail swinging with each step.

"Is there something you need, Prince Edward?" she asked.

"Yes, actually. I'd like to ask you on a date. How does fencing sound? At say," he check his watch. "Four o'clock?"

"How about now?" she said, grinning mischieviously. "If you'll let me go get on some pants, I can meet you here in seven minutes."

"You do realize that I'm the one who's supposed to set the rules?" Edward said, smiling despite himself. She nodded. "Alright. I'll meet you down here in seven minutes."

Exactly seven minutes later, he found himself walking down to the gym with Lydia. She was very talkative, and chatted with him about her family, her stepsisters, and the crazy things she got up to on her farm. She was funny and sarcastic, and he laughed quite a bit about the rebellious antics she got up to.

"Wait," he said, interrupting her story. "You spied on their party, so you could find out information about your step-sister's boyfriend, and sabotage her relationship?"

"It was for their own good!" Lydia said, defending her actions. "Neither of them were who they were telling the other person they were!"

"But you do realize that I'm the Crown Prince, right? And that spying is sort of illegal?"

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure you won't tell on me," she said, flashing him a grin.

Edward rolled his eyes, suppressing a laugh. "You, Lydia Alexandria Roads, certainly are something else. Now -" he tossed her a sword. "Shall we fence?"

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"Odette!" Pippa said, racing up behind her. "I need to talk to you!"

"What's wrong?" Odette said, turning to face the other girl.

"Not here," Pippa shook her head. "It's important."

"Follow me," Odette said, and grabbed Pippa's arm. She dragged her down the hall, into a nook that was conveniently hidden by a tapestry.

"How do you know about this place? You've barely been here a month," Pippa said in amazement.

"That's not important right now," Odette said brushing it off. "What matters is that you have a problem. Let me guess - your entire family was killed in some freak accident, so you know have to take over the throne at age seventeen?"

Pippa stared at her in both amazement and confusion. "No. Not even close, just, no. Actually," she took a deep breath, "It's about Elliot."

"You've finally realized your feelings for him? It's about time!" Odette exclaimed.

"Shh! Someone's coming!"

Pippa and Odette listened to the voices. "It's just Brynn and Juliet," Odette said. She stuck her head out the tapestry. "Psst! Brynn, Juliet, come in here!"

Brynn and Juliet climbed in, while Pippa groaned.

"What's up Odette?" Juliet said.

"Pippa has finally realized her feelings for Elliot!"

"It's about time!" Brynn said, turning to face Pippa.

"Is this true, Pippa?" Juliet asked.

"Yes? I mean, no, I mean, sort of," Pippa groaned. "It's complicated."

"We're listening," Brynn said encouragingly.

"Well, recently, I realized that I had started, well, _feeling_ about Elliot differently - gosh, I sound like I'm twelve - but it doesn't make any sense! This wasn't part of the plan!" Pippa said.

"What was this plan?" Juliet inquired.

"I'd end up marrying someone else. Like, a man from my own country, or a prince with more political advantages, like one from Swendway, or Prince Dimitri from Russia."

"You're seventeen, you could feel differently about them when you're twenty-five. You don't have to marry the man you date at age seventeen," Brynn said gently.

Pippa shook her head. "That's not entirely true. I'm set to inherit the throne by the time I'm twenty-three, though my father would like to step down sooner - when I'm twenty-one. However, according to English Laws, I have to be at least engaged or betrothed before I can inherit the throne. And if I want to marry someone I've fallen in love with, well, time is running out for me and Dimitri to fall in love."

"That's absurd!" Brynn exclaimed.

"No, it's not," Odette said, shaking her head. "It's to ensure that the line will continue, and there will be heirs. It's practiced in many countries. Why do you think Edward is having a selection, when he's only nineteen?"

"I don't see how this is a problem, though," Brynn said. "I mean, you obviously have feelings for Elliot."

"Yes, I suppose, but it's just, not what I originally thought would happen."

"Most epic love stories are that way," Juliet said wisely.

"Wait, love story?" Pippa said, with a laugh. "Who said anything about that?"

"You did!" Odette exclaimed. "You just said you had feelings for him!"

"Yes, but I never said I was in love with him yet."

"Yet - that means you _could_ be in love with him, soon," Brynn teased.

"If it makes you feel better, Pippa, most of the Selected girls ship it," Juliet offered up. "Well, except for Lisette, but the only thing she cares about is herself."

All four girls laughed at that. "I'm really glad I met you guys," Pippa said.

"Every girl needs friends," Juliet said. "Even future queens."

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**Hey guys!**

**Sorry for another really short chapter. I've been super busy lately, and almost didn't have time to write this at all. My schedule is clearing up this week, though, so I should be able to get back to longer chapters soon.**

**Today's QOTD - **_**Who do you ship with Edward?**_ **I know it's a little soon, still, but I want to compare your responses now to your responses towards the end of the story :-)**

**If you have a girl in the story, and have any ideas of what you think she should wear for the Halloween Masquerade Ball, please let me know! It'll be on a first come, first serve basis - not everyone can be a swan. If you don't have a character in the story, but have some ideas, let me know anyways! I'm sure there will be someone that we can use them for :)**

**How'd you like this chapter? What did you think of Lydia? Or of Pippa? ;) Please drop me a review and let me know! Your feedback means the world to me!**

**Much love, **

**Maggie **

**P.S. We hit 100 reviews last chapter! Sending virtual brownies and hugs to all of you! Also, I've changed the line breaks on all the previous chapters, so those of you who couldn't see them before should be able to now!**

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper - **Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! I was thinking something similar for Juliet's costume, although I do rather like the idea of her dress being made out of waffles :)

**Canadaorbust - **No problem! I'm glad you liked it! And thanks for reviewing!

**LadyAnj -** Yay, I'm glad these line breaks work out better for you! And thank you!

**Emily1515 -** Thank you for reviewing! And thank goodness he has - it was about time, in my opinion :)

**Pnmendoza11 -** Thank you so much! And don't worry about Elliot - his ego may be a little bruised, but he's fine. Plus, I think he likes having Pippa worry about him :)

**XOStarbrightXO -** Woo hoo, I'm glad you decided to join us! Also, thanks for reviewing!

**Also thanks to selenali1111 for following, and XOStarbrightXO and Why should I care 23 for favoriting and following both me and the story!**


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Edward stepped into the Women's Room, as Pippa motioned him inside. He felt queasy - not from being in a room full of women, he was used to that by now, but because the announcement he was about to make only made his situation feel that much more real.

"Alright girls," Pippa said, standing in the middle of the Women's Room. Around her, the chattering died down. "I have an announcement to make. One October 31st, the palace will be hosting a Halloween ball, which all of you will be expected to attend. This _is_ a masquerade ball, which means that you could go as something, like a butterfly. Your maids have already started coming up with some sketches for your dresses, but if you have an idea of what you would like to be, you can talk to them."

The room burst to life, as girls began chattering about their dream dresses.

"And another thing," Edward said, and the girls quieted down again. "The Elite will be announced that night. There's not much you can do to prepare for that, but I want to make sure you all know what is going on."

The girls all started talking at once again, and Edward motioned his head toward the door. He and Pippa slipped out, and started speed walking.

"Alright, the ball is coming up in a couple days, and we still haven't finished everything," Pippa said. "We still need to pick out place settings, hire musicians, finalize the menu, check on the floral arrangements, and arrange a seating chart. The seating chart should take the longest, so Elliot and I will work on that together, while you finalize everything else. Got it?"

"Got it," Edward said. They stepped into the room where all the planning was taking place. Edward walked over to his desk, and groaned. There was a stack of papers that all needed to be approved.

"Alright Elliot, you and I will be making a seating chart," Pippa said, and sat across from Elliot. "Now, we should probably start with the royal families."

Edward turned to his papers, and began sorting through them. _Flowers, check, meals, check._ He tried to focus, but snippets of Pippa and Elliot's conversation kept floating towards him.

"Okay, where to you think we should place the selected?"

"We shouldn't completely separate them, but we shouldn't put them all together, either."

"Okay, then how about - if that your foot on my leg?"

"Maybe."

"Stop flirting and get to work," Edward grumbled, and Pippa and Elliot turned bright red. "The ball is very soon, and we need to finish this stuff today."

He turned back to his papers and tried to focus. The sooner this ball was over with, the better.

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"Hello Illea, and welcome to the Capital Report! I'm Layla Fadaye, here with the Selected for the very last time! That's right, folks, next week the ones who are still with us will no longer be known as the Selected - They'll be known as the Elite! Let's give the girls a round of applause, Illea!"

Margaux faked a smile as the studio applauded. She looked around the studio, trying to take it all in one last time. The Selected would be narrowed down to the Elite within a couple days, and she was certain that she wasn't going to make the cut.

"Let's see if our prince has anything to say on the subject - Prince Edward, do you think you could reveal anything about who is in the Elite?" Layla said, handing him the microphone.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you anything yet, Layla," Edward said shaking his head.

"How about you, Prince Elliot, Princess Pippa? Anyone you think will be in the Elite?"

Pippa took the question. "Well, I've become close friends with a few a the Selected girls, and I certainly hope they make the cut. However, I do believe that any of these girls could make the Elite."

Margaux groaned internally. There was another strike against her. Not only did she lack any sort of political advantages, but she had also failed to become friendly with the princess.

"Alright, now let's speak with some of our Selected girls. Lady Juliet, do you think you'll make the Elite?" Layla asked.

"I'd really like to," Juliet said, ducking her head. "I mean, I really like the Prince, and I hope he feels the same way." Juliet and Edward caught each other's eye, and both blushed.

The audience awed, but Margaux just rolled her eyes. This whole Elite thing was rigged - girls like her wouldn't make it. It would be full of girls like Juliet and Ailsa, girls who were sweet and loving and caring. But Margaux? She was none of those things. She was stubborn and rebellious and bitter and free-spirited, and girls like her didn't make the Elite.

Not that she cared, of course.

"Lady Margaux, what about you? Do _you_ think you'll make the Elite?"

Margaux plastered a smile on her face. "I certainly hope so, Layla."

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Edward sighed, and went over his list one more time. It was getting late, and he was tired, but the ball was tomorrow, and he still hadn't picked the Elite.

He tried listing the pros and cons of each one again. _The advisors like this one, but I'm not so sure about her_, he thought, looking at one of the girls. _And this one is really sweet, but has no political advantages._

He groaned. How was he going to pick between the girls?

The door creaked open, and a smallish figure crept in. _Pippa_, he thought. _Perfect. I can talk to her - she's probably had the Elite narrowed down for weeks._

"Pippa," he called out softly, and she jumped.

"Edward?" she said, and he nodded. "Sorry to disturb you, I was just looking for my book. Have you seen a copy of Sense and Sensibility anywhere?"

"It's right over there," he said, motioning to a chair. "Before you go, though, I need your help."

"What is it?" she said, coming to stand by him.

"The Elite," he sighed. "The ball is tomorrow, and I still haven't narrowed them down."

"Well, let me see what you have," Pippa said, and quickly scanned over his papers. "I think your problem is that you're putting too much emphasis on certain things. Yes, this one has political advantages, but is she even an enjoyable person to be around? And sure, this one is sweet, but does she have leadership capabilities? And more importantly, is she someone you could see yourself spending the rest of your life with?"

"Your point being?" he said hopelessly.

"My point is, sometimes political advantages aren't the most important quality in a person, and advisors don't always know best. Only you can make this decision, and maybe instead on listening to your brain, you need to listen to your heart."

Edward stared at her. "Who are you and what have you done with Pippa Rose Nicholson?"

Pippa smiled. "Let's just say, I've had a change of heart. And a couple of good friends who made me realize something very important. Now, goodnight Edward. I'm sure that whoever you pick, they'll be the right girls for you."

"Goodnight Pippa," he whispered, but she was gone.

_Instead of listening to your brain, listen to your heart,_ he thought. _Alright, let's try this._ Edward took a deep breath, and began to write.

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**Hey guys!**

**I'm so sorry that it's been so long, only to have a short filler chapter. Long story short, my laptop broke. It's still broken, actually. I've been using my dad's laptop to try and write, but he needs it for work, so I haven't been able to use it very often. I should get my laptop back on September 8th, so I should be able to give you longer, better chapters more often soon. Until then, I'll continue writing on my dad's laptop.**

**I know I had previously said that the Elite would be chapter nineteen, but I was wrong. The ball and the Elite will take place next chapter! Woo hoo! If you want to guess to Elite or submit a masquerade costume idea, now is your last chance.**

**What'd you think of this chapter? Anything you want to see next chapter? Let me know! Reviews mean more that chocolate chip double fudge brownies to me!**

**Much love,**

**Maggie**

**RESPONSE TO REVIEWS**

**XOStarbrightXO** \- Thanks for reviewing! I get what you're saying about the fictional guys - really the only reason I ship Maxmerica is because Maxon is fictional, and I can't have him for myself :'(

**Canadaorbust** \- Thank you! I'll definitely consider those ideas for Olivia :)

**LadyAnj** \- Now you're starting to make me think of that too… thanks for reviewing!

**Leopardsplash - **Thank you so much! Reviews like this mean the world to me! I'm really glad you liked Pippa's epiphany, and I'm sorry that you like so many of the girls ;)

**SkaterGirl (guest) **\- Thank you! I'm glad you liked Lydia's date so much!

**UltimateMaxmericaShipper** \- Thank you! Pippa's freak-out was also my favorite part, so I'm glad you liked it. It sucks that you have to go back to school so early, but I hope it goes well for you!

**FourFearsForever** \- DUDE SAME also thanks for reviewing!

**selenali1111** \- Thank you so much! I'm glad it made you happy :)

**FangirlingEverything **\- Thank you! I'm happy you like it so much!

**Also thanks to AnimeAssasinAkame, FangirlingEverything, and FourFearsForever for favoriting and following!**


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